The ABCs of ZUTARA: A Series of 26 One Shots
by AVidZktjo
Summary: 26 LETTERS. 26 WORDS. 26 STORIES. That’s the premise of this series. Each word is crafted into a one-shot about ZUTARA ranging from their childhood to their youth through their sorrows and struggles and even into their future romance. So ENJOY!
1. Adorable

**The ABCs of Zutara: ADORABLE**

_Written by Katie Jo aka AVidZktjo_

"Zuko, honey, come back here." A laugh escaped Ursa's mouth as she playfully chased after her son. "I'm going to get you," she teased while reaching her hands out to snatch him up. The one-year old prince giggled in her embrace, flailing his tiny arms in an attempt to escape. But his mother would have none of that. She held on tight and kissed his face while he struggled to get away. Ursa couldn't help but laugh at the adorable sight.

Her baby boy was everything she'd wanted and more. There was only one problem with him. He just wouldn't sit still. She tried bouncing him up and down in her arms but he wouldn't stop squirming. It was only then that she realized something had caught his eye. When she looked in the direction of his outstretched hands, she saw the reason for his struggle and laughed some more. Of course, why hadn't she thought of that? Zuko loved the water. Rising to her feet, Ursa brought her son over to the turtle duck pond and set him down next to the water's edge. "There you are, Zuko."

The toddler immediately put his hands in the shallow pool and started splashing about. The cool temperature didn't seem to faze him for his giggles grew louder even as the water soaked through his clothes. Before long, Ursa was getting wet along with him, but she didn't mind. All that mattered was the excitement and joy on her baby's face. Ursa laughed along with her son and even put her own hands in the water, sending more sprinkles in Zuko's direction. He seemed to love the water for he always wanted to sit by the pond. "You are a funny little thing, aren't you, Zuko?" His smile was reply enough and she laughed again.

_For a prince of the Fire Nation, that boy sure loves the water, but we shall teach him soon enough that water is his enemy._ The words of her husband suddenly sprung to her mind and her smile vanished. She had never liked this war and only wished for it to be stopped. And she hoped that her son would be the one to stop it. Looking down at his soaked head of cinder black hair, she knew she was putting all her hope in a mere child but she couldn't help herself. No matter what Ozai taught him, she was determined to always be one step ahead. Zuko would be kind and compassionate, forgiving and honest, not at all like his father.

The boy abruptly stopped splashing and turned his attention to his mother's sad face. His joy soon faded at seeing her sorrowful expression. While looking down at her son, Ursa saw her hope mirrored in those beautiful golden brown eyes. He was a darling child and the thought caused her kind smile to return. Her son was soon mimicking her grin with a toothless one of his own and she couldn't stop her lips from curling up higher. How could something so precious become something so evil? But Zuko would never be evil. He would never be his father. He would be something more. Something special. Like the water. He would be the change this world needed.

Before her thoughts could go any further, she felt cold moisture soaking into her robes. Her son was splashing water on her knees and she quickly resumed her playful teasing. Snatching him up in her arms again, she tickled his tummy and laughed as he giggled and squirmed. He would be different, she was sure of it, but still she could not stop the possessive tightening of her arms around her adorable little boy.

///A\\\

"No, Katara, no." Kya pulled her defiant daughter back into her arms for what felt like the hundredth time. "Honey, you'll hurt yourself," she tried to explain to her, but still the toddler would not stop squirming and reaching toward the campfire. "Hakoda, some help please. She wants to touch the fire."

"Then let her."

Kya stared back at her husband in disbelief.

"Sweetheart, she won't learn the dangers of it until she experiences it for herself. Just let her get burnt and she'll quickly realize her mistake," Hakoda easily explained while his attention remained on the task of sharpening his dagger.

Kya sighed. Her husband was no help when it came to the children. His mind was more focused on war strategies and the protection of their village, not that that wasn't a good use of his time. She was grateful to be sure, but she wished he didn't always have such a tactical answer to everything. Kya didn't want her daughter to get burnt, but at the same time, she knew Hakoda was right. She'd need to learn sooner or later.

So reluctantly Kya released her baby and watched in horror as she crawled towards the fire yet again. Hakoda even stopped what he was doing and watched as his daughter neared the flames. They were both waiting for the inevitable scream, but then Katara did something unexpected. Instead of reaching out for the fire, she stopped and plopped herself down about two feet away from it. Hakoda glanced over at his wife and shrugged his shoulders before looking back down at his dagger and continuing his work. Kya stared after her child in wonder. Her baby girl sat still before the glittering flames and her hand didn't even move once toward the fire. What an odd child she was.

In that moment a cry could be heard from the tent behind them and Kya rose to her feet. "I'm going to check on Sokka. Would you please watch her for me?" she said as she looked over at her husband.

"Don't worry, dear, she won't get hurt. She's just fascinated with the fire is all," he replied, his gaze still fixed on the dagger in his hands.

"All the same, please watch her, Hakoda. I don't want to come back out here and find that our child has been burnt to a crisp because she wanted to dance in the flames and you let her."

Hakoda chuckled. Sometimes his wife could be a bit paranoid when it came to their children, but that's why he loved her. Looking up into her eyes, he smiled and promised, "Don't worry. I'll watch her."

With a roll of her eyes, Kya entered the tent and tried to console her restless little boy.

Turning his attention back to the dagger, Hakoda scraped at the sides one last time before holding it up to his face and admiring his handiwork. "There. The perfect blade for a Water Tribe warrior." Katara suddenly clapped her hands and Hakoda looked her way. "You like the dagger?" But his daughter's eyes were still fixed on the flames. Another crackle could be heard as the wood shifted and sparks flew up into the sky. Katara clapped again and a giggle even escaped her mouth. "Oh, so you like the fire? You are one strange child, you know that?"

As if in response to his question, Katara giggled again and Hakoda found himself laughing along with her. After setting the dagger down beside him, he crawled over to where his daughter sat and joined her by the fire. He picked her up and tried to hold her in his arms but she refused to cooperate. She reached out towards the fire again and struggled to get down. "Katara." Hakoda tried to get her attention but the flames held her gaze. "Katara. Won't you look at your daddy?"

His baby girl didn't even seem to notice that he was there. All she wanted was the fire. "Fine. Fine." Hakoda put her down and she crawled a little closer to the flames before sitting down in front of them again. More sparks rose into the night sky and she clapped some more. "Maybe we accidentally swapped you with a Fire Nation baby."

Katara giggled. "Yup. That must be the case." Hakoda laughed at his own joke and Katara chuckled again in response. She was sure a strange little girl, but he loved her all the same whether she liked fire or water. He didn't care. All that mattered was her protection and safety, but Hakoda knew that eventually there would come a time when he wouldn't be able to shelter her from the pain of their world. He just hoped that she wouldn't get burned too badly.

_

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_I'm starting a new series – __**The ABCs of Zutara**__ – and this is the first edition to it. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I couldn't help but go "awww" while I was writing it. And, believe it or not, the letter A was a hard one to come up with. I kept fiddling with the word "anger" but nothing was coming to mind. And the only other word that popped into my head was "adorable." But after thinking about it for a day, I finally came up with this utterly ADORABLE idea. =D So…whaddaya think?_

_I'm planning on posting a new "letter" every day of the week but most likely not on the weekends. I'm usually busier on the weekends than I am on the week days. Go figure._

_Anyway, the reason I started this series is because I'm so jealous of all those FanFiction authors who post a new story or new chapter every day. Yeah, you know who you are. =D I'm so jealous of you! I'm such a perfectionist that I spend hours and hours pouring over what I've written. Do you know how many times I reread my own stuff or how many hours I spend editing? I like every line to be just perfectly flawless and I want everything to flow seamlessly. I'm crazy like that, but it makes for good writing._

_So this is kind of an experiment for me. I want to post something new every day and this is how I'm going to do it. I'll be writing a short one-shot on each letter of the alphabet, including X, so by the end of the month or so I should have 26 short stories on Zutara. Yippee!_

_**Oh, and please don't hesitate to make suggestions!!! **__Any word will do, except names and swear words. It can be a noun, a verb, an adjective, anything! Let your imagination run wild. And thanks in advance for the suggestions!!! =D_

_All that's left for you to do is __**READ**__ the story, __**ENJOY**__ it, and __**REVIEW**__ it (pretty please =D). Thanks!!!_

_AVidZktjo_


	2. Battle

**The ABCs of Zutara: BATTLE**

_Written by Katie Jo aka AVidZktjo_

"Whoo-hoo! That's another one for Toph!" Sokka victoriously exalted as he drew another line on the wall.

Aang glanced over his shoulder and yelled back to Sokka, "How much is she at now?"

"Sorry, Aang, but you're way behind."

"How bad?" Aang asked as his gaze returned to his opponent.

"Oh, not that bad," Sokka replied with a shrug of his shoulders and a tone of voice that said otherwise.

Aang wasn't convinced. "How bad?" he asked again.

"Eh. Fortyonetofive," Sokka muttered.

"What was that?" Toph yelled back at Sokka even though she had heard him. She wanted to make sure that Aang realized how badly he'd been beaten.

Reluctantly, Sokka clarified, "Forty-one to five."

"Ha! I guess the Avatar is not as masterful as they say he is," Toph teased.

"Well, if you'd just let me use my air and water bending, then I'd beat you in no time!"

Toph shook her head and simply said, "Nope. Sorry. This is earthbending practice _only_." Taking up her fighting stance, Toph engaged the Avatar yet again in a vigorous battle of rocks and dirt.

Meanwhile amidst the endless earth quaking combat, Katara was busy trying to cook a decent meal for the gang. Unfortunately, the frequent jolts of the ground weren't making it any easier.

"Would you like some help with that?"

If the voice had come from anyone else, she would have gladly accepted the offer. But as she looked up into those golden eyes, she had already made up her mind as to her answer. "No, thank you. I'm fine." She returned her attention to her work but was immediately jostled in her place by the shaking earth beneath her feet. Much to her chagrin, she lost her balance and would have toppled to the ground if it weren't for the gentle hand that grabbed her arm and steadied her. As soon as he'd put her firmly back on her feet, she yanked her arm out of his hand and picked up the spoon again. While stirring the broth, she mumbled, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," was Zuko's warm reply.

Katara kept her eyes focused on the meal she was preparing as well as the position of her feet. No way was she going to fall over again and be caught by that – that firebender! Ugh. She couldn't stand him. But he didn't seem to feel the same way toward her. He could have gone out to join the others in being spectacles of the masterful display of earthbending, but instead he chose to stay with her. Granted he could still see the battle from where he was standing, but why not get a closer look? Why stay near her? She couldn't quite grasp the reason.

Ugh. And now the fire was going down. She needed more wood. But before she could even glance around her, the flames blazed higher. Katara sighed. Now she would have to thank him again. Her courteous nature pushed for the words to exit through her lips but her disgust at his company kept her mouth shut. It was a dilemma she faced every day. Be nice to him. Don't be nice to him. She'd rather just douse him with water and be done with it.

"The Blind Bandit wins again!" Sokka's shouts of praise jolted her out of her vengeful thoughts and back to the task at hand. Lunch was almost ready. She just needed the broth to simmer for a bit and then it would be perfect.

"I'm done, Toph. I can't take any more," Aang was surrendering as he plopped down on the ground in a defeated slump.

"Oh, come on, twinkle toes. You'll never defeat the Firelord with that attitude," Toph teased as she sent another rock flying towards the Avatar's face.

Aang easily deflected it but it was clear he wasn't going to fight back.

"Suit yourself. I stand the undefeated champion!" Toph congratulated herself.

"Yeah, but Zuko's still got you beat," Sokka simply stated.

"What?" Toph and Zuko said in unison, their faces marked with astonishment. Katara was shocked as well at that remark. Toph had never been beaten. Even Katara could never get the best of her. It always came out as a tie, or worse, a muddy victory for her blind opponent.

Sokka leaned back on his hands and said with an uninterested tone of voice, "Come on, don't you remember? He burned Toph's feet. Fire beats earthbender."

The sound of rocks being crushed into dust made everyone turn to look at Toph. She was seething with rage and looked about ready to bury Sokka in a rockalanche. Zuko, to Katara's surprise, stepped in between them before the fight could begin. Good thing he did, too, for Sokka would have been buried in no time. "Then we'll just have a rematch," he said to the heated earthbender.

Toph immediately brightened at the suggestion and dropped all thought of crushing Sokka from her mind. She'd been looking forward to this day. "Alright. Bring it on, Sparky."

Zuko rolled his eyes at his nickname. Sokka had told him it meant he had finally been inducted into their gang, but he still wasn't too happy about it. Especially since a certain someone didn't seem to express the same welcome. But he had no time to think on that for a wave of rubble was whizzing through the air and aimed right at him. His instincts took over and he ducked to avoid the dirt bullets aimed at his head. He'd have to stay on his feet. His thought suddenly turned literal as he was thrown into the air. Man, she was good. But he had to focus.

As soon as Zuko landed, he took a fighting stance and focused on Toph's movements. She was masterful, just like his sister. But every bender, even the great ones, had a weakness. Taking the offensive, Zuko blasted fire at the seemingly helpless blind girl. She dodged them with ease and sent more dirt and rocks flying in his direction. She even made the earth quake and shift at his feet. But he kept his focus on her eyes.

She may have been blind, but her eyes still gave away her movements and Zuko was starting to catch on to them. But before he could get too close to her, she hurled in an unexpected move and he was thrown to the ground. He tried to get up but he immediately felt a rocky spike at the skin of his throat. She had him pinned and he knew he'd been beaten. Toph moved closer and stood triumphant over him with an exuberant grin. "Not bad, Sparky," she said as she threw away the spike and offered her hand. Zuko took it and she yanked him up to his feet.

"That. Was. AWESOME!!!" Sokka hooted and hollered as he jumped up and down. "Zuko almost had you there, but you took him down in a second. Toph, you rock!"

Toph just shrugged her shoulders and said, "I know." It was clear to everyone that Sokka was no longer a fan of The Boulder. "Now write it down," she demanded of him, and Sokka started a new tally on the wall. Toph – one. Zuko – zero.

Sokka took a step back and looked up at the tally marks on the wall as he stroked his chin. "It looks like the only battle we haven't seen is Zuko and Katara."

Katara's eyes widened. No way was she going to fight Zuko. But then her gaze caught his challenging look and she thought better of it. _I guess it wouldn't hurt to put the firebender in his place_, she thought. "I'll need water," Katara voiced her request, and Sokka, Haru, and The Duke ran off to fetch the buckets of water they'd been using to wash up for dinner.

While the three boys were busy not only finding the buckets but hauling them over, Katara inched closer to Zuko. All the while that she advanced on him, their eyes were locked. It was like their minds were already at war. "You might need more water than just three buckets. My fire will consume it in a flash." The taunt came without warning from his mouth and Katara was taken aback by his jest for his expression remained unreadably calm. Was he even teasing her or was he serious? She couldn't tell. And yet she didn't care.

"Oh, don't worry about me. Fire can be extinguished as easily as water can. Maybe even more so." Katara grinned at her own joke and amazingly Zuko returned it. A mischievous glint sparkled in his eye and she quickly realized that he _had_ been teasing her. His expression never seemed to give anything away, but the golden orbs that stared across at her were the key to his secrets. Her smile widened at the revelation.

Seconds later, Sokka and the other boys were setting down the rather large buckets by Katara's feet. As soon as they stepped away, the water flowed in a stream towards her hands and soon encompassed her arms. Her gaze never left Zuko's eyes during the whole motion, and the minute the pales were empty, she challenged, "Bring it on, firebender," and the battle of the elements began.

Zuko shot off the first blow, but Katara easily evaded it as she skidded to the right. She knew her small amount of water was of no use in the long range, so her first thought was to get closer to her rival. As Zuko blasted fire at her through his hands and even his feet, she tried to conserve her water and dodged away instead. But Zuko was quick to discern her intent and he jumped away from her. She would take two steps forward and he would take two steps back. It was like she was chasing him into the wall that rose up behind him.

And that's exactly what Zuko was doing. He knew from experience with fighting the masterful waterbender that if she had a huge resource of water, she could overpower him. He'd had it happen before. But then he also knew that if she had a limited resource, she had to get closer to her opponent. He _would_ let her get closer. Eventually. But for the moment, he quite enjoyed the game of cat and mouse. Her expression grew more and more frustrated the longer the battle ensued. She tried to water whip him a couple of times but she couldn't quite reach far enough. And that made her angry. And her anger only served to amuse him. Her brilliant blue eyes had captivated him more than once, but it was when they were on fire that they truly shined.

As Zuko leapt about, he consciously brought them closer and closer to the massive back wall of the open courtyard. He could see it in her eyes. She thought she would corner him. Too bad for her. As a smile lit up his face, he made one last leap but this time in her direction. She wasn't expecting it and reacted too late. Before she knew it, she was pinned to the earth with his hands holding hers to the ground as he sat on top of her stomach and leaned over her. Her mouth fell open in shock but she quickly recovered and struggled to get free. Unfortunately for her, Zuko was strong and he held her there with ease. His smile only seemed to widen at her squirming and that made her even angrier.

But suddenly she took on another tactic. "You're burning my wrists," she said with a look of pain appearing on her face.

Zuko turned serious again but his voice still held a teasing tone. "You can't fool me, waterbender." He leaned in closer to her face and whispered for her ears alone. "Don't worry. You'll get over it."

"Get over what?" she whispered back. All thought of struggling escaped her mind as his eyes held hers in an unbreakable vice.

"Maybe you're just not as good as you think you are."

His mimic of her insult made her eyes widen in shock. Had he actually mocked her? How dare he! But before she could begin fighting against his grip again, he released her and stood to his feet. She quickly sat up and stared after his fleeting form and the sudden urge for a rematch consumed her. Without thought to his reaction, she bent the water around her and lashed out with a whip that struck him dead center in the back of the head. He stopped in his tracks and she heard Sokka go "Oooh, now it's getting good."

Zuko turned and faced her with a surprising smile on his face. She had been counting on his look of anger but his eyes held something more. What was it? Amusement? Or was she just seeing things? Surely he didn't actually enjoy this. And yet as he crouched down into a fighting stance and inched towards her, she became sure of it. _Good_, she thought as her own challenging grin made her eyes sparkle with delight, _this is going to be fun_. As the two elemental opposites crashed into each other once more, Toph smiled to herself. The battle may have been about their differences, but it was only revealing their similarities. And as much as she tried _not_ to fight it, Toph couldn't stop her mind from conspiring against the firebending prince and the ice queen.

_

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_

_This turned out to be a lot longer than I had originally planned not to mention that it was all written in the moment. The Sokka tally mark idea was there along with the battle between Zuko and Katara, but the rest of it was just off the top of my head while I was writing. Oh well. It turned out great and I love it! It painted such a cute, funny picture of the glorious mess that is Zutara. LOL. Oh, and who doesn't love Toph? She rocks! Get it! ROCKS! *chirp chirp* Yup, I'm as helpless as Sokka._

_So I'm really not that good at describing battle scenes. I don't know how to describe the jabs or anything. I just go with describing their emotions instead. I like it so much better anyway. Action and adventure and all that is for the movies. Books are for the emotions behind the actions. Thus, you have my thought-provoking Zutara battle! =D_

_Once again, I hope you __**ENJOY**__ this! And __**PLEASE REVIEW**__!!! Thanks!_

_AVidZktjo_

_BTW, an idea for the letter C hit me last night and all I can say is it's gonna be gooooooood! Hehe. Stay tuned!_


	3. Concentrate

**The ABCs of Zutara: CONCENTRATE**

_Written by Katie Jo aka AVidZktjo_

It was already a hot summer afternoon but it wasn't the sun that was making her temperature rise. It was the man sitting across from her. For brief instances their eyes would meet and their smiles would brighten, and then one of them or both of them would clear their throat and try concentrating on their work again. This seemed to go on forever. But when Katara realized that she'd reread the same page a dozen times, she finally gave up. "It's no use, Zuko."

Zuko looked up at his wife, amusement sparkling in his eyes. He loved it when she got this way. Even after ten years and three kids, they were still passionately and wholeheartedly in love. Not to mention they couldn't keep their hands off of one another. Not that he was complaining. Leaning back in his desk chair, the Firelord stared into the eyes of his Fire Lady and impatiently waited for her to continue.

Katara sighed. She knew her husband needed to concentrate on his work and she on her constant study of the nations as part of her duties as an ambassador, but how could she when just the simple flick of Zuko's wrist made her blood boil. How did he do that to her? After all these years, she still didn't know. It was like the fire within him burned inside of her as well, and no matter how much water she tried to throw at it, it wouldn't go out. Not that she ever did try to douse the flames. It just got a little distracting at times. But as her lips curled higher and her body burned with passion, she easily admitted to herself that it was always a welcome distraction.

Rising from the Fire Lady's luxurious chair that was always set close to the Firelord's desk, Katara slowly sauntered over to her husband and sat down atop the polished wood, crossing her legs before him in a tempting fashion. Zuko leaned back farther in his chair, his eyes still fixed on hers as he asked, "What's on your mind, dear?"

Katara tapped her chin in thought and lingered for a moment before answering. Of course he knew what was on her mind, but she liked tormenting him just as much as he enjoyed teasing her. While swinging her exposed leg in front of him, she replied, "Well, let's see. There's the children. There's the dinner plans for next weekend with Ambassador Lee Fong. Oh, and let's not forget that Aang and Toph will be visiting the Fire Nation at the end of the month and I can't wait to see their new baby girl. Hmmm." Katara paused for effect. "But other than that, there's not much on my mind. I'm far too busy reading that terribly interesting book," Katara ended on a sarcastic note while her eyes sparkled with mischief.

"I see." Zuko steepled his hands in front of his mouth and eyed his wife with a questioning lift of his eyebrows. Now he only had to wait for the real answer. And he knew it would be a good one.

Shaking her head, Katara chuckled a little and then stepped down off of the desk and circled around her husband. "You want to know what is really on my mind, honey?" she whispered into his ear. Zuko swallowed hard in response, and Katara giggled again. He was too easy to hook. With a quick move of her hand, Katara removed Zuko's royal hairpiece and set it on the desk in front of him. She then proceeded to move her fingers through his long, jet black hair.

This always drove him wild and she loved it. Now she had him trapped and there was no way he could resist her. While she massaged his head and played with his incredibly soft locks, she heard him take a deep breath and she wanted to laugh again. But she stifled the bubbly feeling and instead whispered into his ear, tantalizing him with her warm breath, "I'm thinking about your hair." And then she placed a kiss on his right ear. "Your ears." Another kiss on his left ear. "Your eyes." She moved around him then and placed a kiss on both of his eyelids. "Your cheeks." Her lips met with his dimples, and his smile grew even wider when she kissed the mangled skin of his scar. "Your nose." She placed a sweet peck on the tip of his nose and then her expression turned seductively serious as she stared into his golden eyes. "And finally…your lips."

Awww, the best part. Zuko didn't even wait for his wife to lean in to kiss him. At the end of her words, he immediately caught the back of her neck with his left hand and pulled her mouth to his. Now this was what he really wanted to concentrate on. His other hand joined up with his left and he let his tongue run rampant within her mouth as her own hands framed his face. Would the flames of their passion ever fade? He hoped not. But just then his wife broke the kiss and breathlessly asked, "What about the door?"

Zuko's grin lifted in a playful manner. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I'm way ahead of you."

She should have known. He was always one step ahead of her, at least when it came to their love life. _Men_, she thought before his lips claimed hers for another taste. While their lips remained locked, he rose from his chair and she backed into his desk. His left hand dropped from around her neck then and swept over the table in a hurry. Good thing he didn't have anything breakable atop his desk or it would've been smashed. Not that he would have cared. His wife was more important to him than a few measly trinkets. He just hoped that this time they didn't crack his desk.

Replacing the last one had been an embarrassment. Uncle Iroh had just stood there and laughed when he'd tried to explain. Of course, he'd attempted a phony story, but Uncle saw through that in a heartbeat and wouldn't stop grinning at them for days afterward. Later Katara had told him that his uncle had congratulated her on their child to come and Zuko had rolled his eyes at the jest. But to their everlasting surprise, he had been right. And, to Zuko's constant irritation, Uncle dubbed their third child "desk baby" in honor of the occasion.

But now was not the time to be annoyed with his uncle for Zuko had better things to focus on. And focus on them he did. It was just a shame he couldn't concentrate on his Fire Lady all the time for she was the one thing he loved to work on the most.

_

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**_That. Was. HOT!!!_**_ Whoo! I loved writing this one! This was ten times, no, one hundred times better than my original idea which wasn't very great to begin with. Granted, it would have been good, but certainly not as good as this! Whoot! Whoot! And did you like the Taang plug? I sure did! And that Uncle Iroh! What a hoot! He's so funny and I could so see him doing something like that. I was cracking up the whole time I was writing that paragraph.__ Desk Baby! Ha! *laughs hysterically* Oh, and in case you're wondering, the word I was originally going to use was CALM. But I'm sure you'll all agree that this is just the sexiest, cutest Zutara moment ever! I can just see the steam rising off the page! =D_

_So, what did ya think? **REVIEWS**??? **PLEASE & THANK YOU**!!!_

_And don't forget about **SUGGESTIONS**! I'm all up for them! Anybody got any ideas for X?_

_AVidZktjo_

_Hmmm…maybe I could use DESK for the letter D…Hmmm… =D_


	4. Distracted

**The ABCs of Zutara: DISTRACTED**

_Written by Katie Jo aka AVidZktjo_

It had been two weeks since Katara had confronted the leader of the Southern Raiders, but Zuko could still tell that she was torn up about it. She needed a distraction. And he knew just the thing. After consulting with the Avatar, the six of them hopped on Appa and flew to the Fire Nation city of Ji Lin. Once they landed, the excited group of teenagers made their way to the city while Appa and Momo stayed behind and hid among the mountainous terrain. Zuko had discovered that the Ember Island Players were in town that night, and the music, dancing, and partying was sure to take everyone's mind off the fast approaching comet. It was sure to be a night of entertainment and fun. Too bad Zuko wasn't that good of a dancer. But the look of awe in everyone's eyes as they entered the city and saw the lights and decorations was just enough to put a smile on his face and distract him from the thought.

Upon seeing the massive pile of food, Sokka immediately grabbed Suki by the hand and pulled her along toward the buffet line. If Zuko had been the laughing sort, he would have chuckled at the sight, but instead he just shook his head and then turned to watch as the Avatar got caught up in the music. He tried to pull Katara along with him, but she graciously declined and said that she was a little hungry and thought she'd check out the food first. Aang shrugged his shoulders in response and then grabbed Toph's hand. With a sigh, the earthbender followed him into the crowd and tried to keep up with his enthusiasm. At one point in the dance, Toph shot up some of the earth at Aang's feet, but he dodged it with ease and kept giggling and dancing about. Katara chuckled at Toph's lack of interest, but after a while, Aang's reluctant partner lightened up a bit and actually started to enjoy her dance with the bouncy airbender. And the sight brightened up Katara's day. But little did she know that her happiness tugged on Zuko's heart, making his lips curl up into a charming smile.

Zuko shook his head. He couldn't believe how much he'd changed around the waterbender. When she smiled, so did he. It had become his normal reaction. At first he had tried to fight it, but even her angry glares pulled up the corners of his lips. And sometimes, on those rare occasions, he even wanted to laugh, not that he ever did. Instead he would stifle it, stare into those captivating blue eyes of hers, and get lost amidst the waves. "Zuko? You coming?" Katara's sweet voice pulled him out of his quiet revere and he glanced over at her. She was beckoning for him to follow her to the buffet line, so without a second thought, he tagged along with her.

Aang and Toph soon joined the four of them and they laughed and joked while they ate. Even Zuko got in on the storytelling, to everyone's amazement. Their joyful banter had started to rub off on him, and his illusive smile was being permanently carved into his smug face. It was no use. They had changed him. But he certainly wasn't complaining. He loved his new family. As his lips curled higher at the thought, the waterbender's gaze suddenly caught his eye. How long had she been looking at him? Without warning, her cheeks turned pink and she looked away. Surely he hadn't just seen that. A blush? Really? No. Impossible. Dismissing the picture from his head, he looked down at his plate and continued eating while Aang and Sokka told jokes with their food.

After the four of them had eaten their fill and Sokka had finished off his mountain of meat, Suki jumped up and begged for Sokka to dance with her. He complained that he was too full, but she countered with "well, you shouldn't have eaten so much then" and grabbed his hand, pulling him into the crowd of twirling couples. The gang, including Zuko, chuckled at Sokka's miserable expression as he tried to keep up with her while fighting the urge to hurl. And then the chuckles turned into hysterical bouts of laughter as Toph knocked Sokka to the ground with one pound of her foot. He glared back at her, but that only made the foursome hold on to their stomachs as they tried to suppress the relentless pang in their chests. Suki even laughed. But then she knelt down before her humiliated dance partner and offered her hand. While she reigned in her giggles, she helped her clumsy boyfriend rise to his feet again and swiftly soothed his ego with a few kind words of encouragement.

Once the laughter had faded, Aang rose from his seat and asked Katara if she would dance with him. With the simple nod of her head, she put her hand in his and they made their way to the dance floor. Zuko looked over at Toph, knowing that the proper thing to do was to ask his worthy opponent for a dance but she beat him to it. "Don't even think about it, Sparky. The only dancing I'll ever do with you involves flames and dirt, so don't ask unless you want your face punched in."

Zuko put up his hands in surrender and shrugged his shoulders for his own benefit. "Don't worry. I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Good." Toph leaned back in her chair and set her feet atop the table with a bang. "But I'm sure that sugar queen would love a dance." Toph snatched up an apple from her plate and took a huge bite. "You should ask her," she added amid her chewing.

Zuko turned in his chair and focused his gaze on the dance floor. The Avatar and his dance partner were laughing and having a great time. Aang twirled Katara about with ease and she gracefully followed him. _They truly look great together_, he thought. But then something struck him in the head and he looked back at Toph. She was wiping off her mouth with an air of elegance and an expression of innocence. But the half-eaten apple that had landed on his empty plate gave her away in an instant. He casually picked it up and asked her, "Is this yours, miss?"

"Who? Me?" Toph replied while pointing at herself. "A lady of such proper standing would never throw an apple at a gentleman such as you."

Zuko rolled his eyes and dropped the apple onto her messy plate. "We'll settle this when we get back."

"Yeah, yeah, sure we will. You're trailing me by twenty points. Good luck with that one, Sparky."

Sighing, Zuko turned his attention back on the dance. The boisterous song had come to an end and everyone on the dance floor was trying to catch their breath before the music shifted into a slow tune. The ground under Zuko's feet began to rumble, and before he knew it, he was tossed from his chair. He quickly regained his balance and righted himself. "Tooooph!" he drew out her name in irritation. That earthbender was giving him a headache.

But before he could reprimand her, she said, "What are you waiting for? Ask sweetness for a dance."

Zuko glanced over his shoulder at Aang and Katara. They were both gasping for air while trying to stop their giggling. He could intervene before the next song started. But before he took off towards Katara, he fixed his gaze back on the forceful matchmaker and challenged, "Alright. Fine. I'll ask her for a dance. But only if you ask Aang. He'll need another partner once I steal his."

Toph shrugged in response and then rose to her feet. "If it will get you to dance with the ice queen, then I'll do it."

Turning back to the dance, Zuko took a deep breath and walked into the crowd and right up to Aang. "May I cut in?" he asked, while trying desperately not to make a face at his own gentlemanlike manner.

Aang looked back at Katara with an expression that said "no," but to Zuko's surprise, the waterbender nodded her head at him in answer for her distraught partner as a lovely tune started to build around them. Zuko smiled at her response and she mimicked his grin. Aang was quickly pushed off to the side and forgotten as Zuko wrapped his arms around her waist and Katara interlaced her fingers behind his neck. Their eyes were locked on one another, and poor Aang was left to fester in a pool of jealous misery.

"Come on, twinkle toes, dance with me," Toph said as she grabbed Aang's hand and pulled him into an embrace.

The Avatar tried to keep his attention on Toph but his eyes kept traveling back to Zuko and Katara. What were they talking about? He could see their lips moving so they had to be saying something. But what? He tried to lead him and his partner towards them, but Toph resisted and pushed him in the opposite direction instead. He looked down at her in annoyance, but she only smiled up at him with a teasing glint in her eyes. She could be so frustrating at times. He shook his head at her, though she wasn't able to see it, and tried to focus on his partner. But no matter how hard he tried to fight it, the Avatar couldn't keep his eyes off of the beautiful Water Tribe girl. If only he could see how badly he was hurting the earthbender in his arms, maybe then he would have fixed his gaze on her instead.

But he didn't. Toph would have never allowed it. She kept up the façade because she had to. She'd been hurt before, not by boys, but by her parents and her so-called friends back home. She'd learned how to be tough. It came with the territory. But even though some would believe otherwise, she wasn't made of stone. She didn't have a rock for a heart. She had a real, beating, full-of-emotion heart just like everyone else. It wasn't made of the earth and it didn't always stand strong. She had her weak moments just like the others. Like that very night. She could feel it. Her heart was breaking, and if she wasn't careful, she knew it would crumble into pieces.

_Stay strong, Toph_, she told herself. But how could she when so much happiness was surrounding her. Sokka and Suki had each other, and even though Sokka was a clumsy dance partner, she adored him. Zuko and Katara, well, she was sure they'd see it in no time. After all, they had the makings of a great romance. Plus, their accelerated heartbeats didn't lie. And then there was Aang who had the dream of a love his childish heart couldn't quite let go of.

Toph's thoughts turned inward then and she told herself that she had the best deal of any of them. She had her earthbending, her metalbending, her snide remarks, her tough talk, and her downright awesomeness. But she couldn't fool herself for long. No lie could escape her notice. Not even her own. For she knew she would give all of that up in a heartbeat to have what she truly wanted. She may have been blind but even she could see the truth. She would never have any of that for the Avatar's gaze was still fixed on the lovely waterbender held in the prince's arms. Aang's heart beat for hers alone, and Toph doubted that he'd ever learn to let go.

"Ow!" Aang exclaimed after being hit in the arm by his dance partner. He looked down at Toph for a brief instant only to see her teasing smile again. He figured that she was just trying to get his mind off of Katara. But he didn't care. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her. He loved Katara and he would do anything for her. _You must learn to let go. _The guru's words intruded into his thoughts, but he quickly pushed them aside. He would do anything for her – except that! No matter what, he would never let go. He couldn't. He wouldn't. He simply didn't want to. And that was final! But as he watched the laughter spill out of her while she was wrapped in Zuko's arms, he couldn't keep from wondering if someday soon he would have to.

"When did you get to be so funny, Zuko?" Katara said to her newfound friend.

Zuko dropped his smile and took on that serious expression he'd always worn. "I'm never funny."

Katara couldn't stop laughing at his ridiculously smug face. It just wasn't him anymore. She was so used to seeing him with a smile those days that his serious expressions made her giggle. He seemed to enjoy the joke, too, for his smile came back in a flash and she was yet again captivated by his glowing amber eyes.

"So, are you pleasantly distracted?" he suddenly asked.

"Hm?" she mumbled. Had he read her thoughts or something? She tried not to blush.

"It's just that I could see you've been down the past few weeks, and I thought this party would do you some good," he said as his smile wavered a bit.

So this had been _his_ idea? And all for _her_? She couldn't help but be surprised. "Uh…well…yeah, I guess so," she failed at her reply. She was distracted to be sure, but not in the way he thought.

His expression brightened up again and his eyes sparkled with mischief. "Good." He looked around before adding. "Would you mind taking a walk with me?"

"Why?" was her instinctive reply.

"There's just something I'd like to show you before we leave."

Katara perked up at the idea. "Really!? What is it!?"

"It's a surprise."

She sighed. "Ugh. A surprise? Why can't you just tell me?"

Zuko shook his head.

"Fine. I'll go with you, but it better not be a bad surprise or I'll whip your butt when we get back."

"Good luck with that." She was five points behind him, but she was quickly catching up. He didn't doubt that she could beat him. She'd done it fifty times before already. But a battle of the elements was the furthest thing from his mind at that moment. Dropping his arms from around her waist, he grabbed one of her hands that rested on his neck and pulled her along beside him as he led them away from the dance floor, past the buffet, and into an alleyway.

"Will you at least tell me where we're going?"

She wasn't very patient, he noticed. But then neither was he. His mouth curved higher at the thought. They shared many similarities. She got angry at the drop of a pin, and so did he. She was even arrogant at times, and everyone could clearly see that he was as well. But then, as he guided her through the crowded streets, his thoughts shifted to those qualities he admired the most about her. She was kind, gentle, caring, compassionate, and understanding. She would help anyone in need, even an enemy, and she loved with a deep compassion that brought out the best in everyone around her. And her smile…was distracting to say the least. Along with her eyes. And her lips.

Zuko stopped his train of thought right there. What was he thinking? She was the Avatar's girl. Not to mention they were from opposite parts of the world and had grown up in completely different cultures. It would never work. It _could_ never work. For he wouldn't let it. No matter how much he wanted it. Then what in the world was he doing?

At Zuko's sudden halt, Katara asked, "Is this it? Some broken down building?"

"Uh…no." And he started walking again. This was ridiculous. What _was_ he doing? He didn't even know. Things started to change the minute she'd forgiven him, and they were only getting weirder the more time passed. It was a phenomenon he couldn't quite understand, and he wasn't sure that he wanted to. As they turned the corner, he caught sight of the fountain and released her hand. "There," he said as he pointed to it.

"Wow. It's beautiful," she praised as she neared the elaborate fountain set in the middle of a charming parkway.

"It's over a hundred years old." Katara sat before the stone monument and dipped her hand in the water, enjoying the cool temperature of it, as she marveled at the craftsmanship. Even after so many years, the fountain looked as pristine as the day it'd been made. "It was sculpted by a firebender many years ago," Zuko added soon afterward.

Looking up at the lovely maiden who had water flowing from her outstretched hands, Katara asked, "But then why does she look like she's bending water?"

Zuko sat down next to Katara and waited until their eyes met before answering. "Because the firebender was in love with a Water Tribe girl." Katara blinked and her eyes slowly widened as the words sunk in. "It was carved in her honor," he explained upon seeing her shocked expression.

He knew then that he'd made a mistake. He shouldn't have brought her to the fountain. The implications of his simple gesture were enough to send both their hearts racing off into dangerous territory. But though his heart beat wildly, his eyes were suddenly opened and he noticed something new. Her eyes weren't looking away from his. Instead they held on for what seemed like an eternity. And mirrored within them he saw the same feelings that had unexpectedly overtaken him.

Why had he brought her here? Katara thought she knew the answer to that, but she didn't want to hope for it. Surely he wasn't thinking of her in _that_ way. But his eyes…they told a different story. When she felt her cheeks getting warm, Katara was quick to break away, and she immediately turned her attention back to the stone monument. If she wasn't careful, she would blush just like she'd done at dinner. And she couldn't let him see that again.

While looking up at the beautiful waterbending maiden, Katara couldn't help but question if what Zuko had told her was true. A firebender and a waterbender. It was romantic to be sure, but what exactly was he trying to say with this? Again she thought she knew the answer and the prospect made her heart skip a beat. _Maybe I should just ask him_, she eventually thought. But she didn't get a chance for he abruptly stood up and offered her his hand. "We should get back. You don't want to miss the party."

Graciously, she took it and then followed him back, only this time he didn't hold on to her hand as he lead them through the alleyways. Instead they returned to the party in silence. The walk was peaceful and quiet, but inside, her mind was screaming at her and running a mile a minute. She couldn't stop thinking about that fountain. Why had he wanted to show her that? He didn't have to. So why did he then? Was he trying to say that — but she couldn't finish the thought. She didn't want to and yet at the same time she did. She couldn't decide.

Immediately upon returning to the party, Aang grabbed her hand for the next slow dance, but her mind remained unfocused the whole time. _Because the firebender was in love with a Water Tribe girl._ What could he possibly mean by that? Her gaze found his in a heartbeat and his previous inquiry suddenly replayed in her mind. _So, are you pleasantly distracted?_ Even though he was sitting at a table twenty feet away, she could see the fire in his eyes and her mouth automatically mimicked the beautiful smile displayed upon his lips. Throughout the entire night, his gaze held hers in an unbreakable vice and his smile wreaked havoc on her heart. Katara's dance partner might as well have been invisible for she had never been more pleasantly distracted in her life.

_

* * *

_

_Awww…that was so cute and sad and horrible and good all at the same time. And, yes, this is sort of an unofficial sequel to BATTLE. It helps if you read that one first. =D_

_D was a little bit harder to come up with for some reason. I started with DARK and then went to DARE and then back to DARK and then to DANCE and finally to DISTRACTION which I later changed to DISTRACTED. Good word. I like it._

_But as for the story…well, it started out good but I felt like it ended off key. It has its moments. But I'm not so sure I like the fountain. I mean, I do and I don't. Too fast? I dunno. It was cute either way._

_And what did ya think about the Taang plug? I don't know why I keep doing that. It just seems to fit. Besides, getting inside Toph's head is fun. She's a complicated matchmaker. But not so complicated when it comes to Zuko. You gotta admit! That bit was adorably hilarious. So like Toph!_

_And then there is Sokka and Suki. Was there ever a cuter couple? Well…yeah…Zutara! LOL._

_Oh, and the Ember Island Players – they're a band. And that's the story I'm sticking to. So think of this one-shot as the episode that should have happened. Because I'll never accept the real episode as anything more than a ridiculous (but funny) filler that could have been so much more. But even this one-shot is not the real episode I had in mind. Maybe I'll write about it later and let you know. You'll just have to wait and see._

_And for those of you who've read my version of THE BOILING ROCK, you should recognize the name of the city. Sadly, no Maliya in this story though. Oh well._

_So...are you pleasantly distracted? Let me know through __**REVIEWS**__!!! Please & Thank You!!! =D_

_AVidZktjo_

_**The letter E is gonna make you laugh your socks off! And that's all the spoilers I'm gonna give you.**_


	5. Electrifying

**The ABCs of Zutara: ELECTRIFYING**

_Written by Katie Jo aka AVidZktjo_

It had been months since he'd joined the Avatar and his gang in their quest to defeat his father. Ozai was in prison, Azula in chains, and everything was on its way to being restored to its original splendor. And yet…another explosion sent Zuko flying into the wall behind him. "When am I ever going to get this right!?" It was hopeless, he thought, but still he rose with the sun each morning to practice the art of bending lightning. All his practice was getting him nowhere though, and every morning he would stomp off to his study to meditate and cool down. That morning was no different except for the fact that a certain Water Tribe warrior was waiting for him.

"Sokka. I'm not in the mood."

Katara's annoying brother didn't even think twice about Zuko's distraught expression. He just started talking. "So, Zuko, you know we'll be leaving soon and all that, and Katara will be staying behind because you, well, you know…love her." Sokka made a disgusted face and Zuko rolled his eyes as he sat down at his desk and started to work. "Blech. I still can't get over my sister with a firebender. It's just wrong and—"

"Is there a point to this, Sokka!?" the firebender asked while keeping his eyes on the letter he was writing. He was already frustrated enough with his morning practice and didn't need to hear this speech for the umpteenth time. Sokka had told him over and over again that he hadn't quite accepted the fact that the jerkbender loved his sister and the constant reminder was getting old.

Sokka put up his hands in surrender. "Alright. Alright. Calm down, Mr. Hothead. No need to get angry."

Zuko ground his teeth, and he could feel the fire burning up inside him, screaming to get out. Before he knew it, he'd burned the letter he'd been trying to write. "What is it, Sokka?" he tried to ask in a calm manner, but the words came out through his gritted teeth and sounded more like an accusation than a welcome invitation.

"Um…you know you burned your papers there," Sokka said while pointing down at the disintegrating documents.

"I know!" Zuko yelled as he rose to his feet and slammed his fists down on the desk.

Sokka jumped and took a step back. "Sheesh. What's wrong with you this morning, Zuko? You're angrier than usual."

Zuko sighed and sat back down. The candles behind him rose with each deep breath that he took in an effort to calm himself. It wasn't Sokka's fault that he couldn't bend lightning, so he had no reason to be angry with his unexpected visitor. "I'm sorry, Sokka." Zuko put his elbows on his desk and brought his fingers to his forehead and tried to rub the tension away. "I've been practicing for weeks on end and I still can't bend lightning. I'm just a little frustrated."

"Oh, is that all? Don't worry. You'll get it eventually. I mean your uncle did, your father did, heck, even your sister did. It runs in the family. I wouldn't worry about it. You'll get it in no time," Sokka said, shrugging his shoulders like it was a given.

Zuko heard the words but he was still thinking about his failure that morning. Uncle could bend lightning because he was the great Dragon of the West. His father could do it because he had been the almighty Phoenix King. And his sister, well, her fire was blue and her lightning precise. She was the family favorite after all, so, of course, she was able to bend lightning. But Zuko wasn't like any of them. His fire had run on rage at the beginning, and now it ran on real fuel, the spark of his heart and soul. But he'd tried to bend lightning without the rage and it still produced the same result. He didn't understand it. He'd fought his sister in an Agni Ki, he was now the ruler over all the Fire Nation, and he was a changed man to boot. So why wasn't it working?

"I don't think it works that way, Sokka. I doubt I'll ever be able to bend lightning," he glumly stated as he set his hands on the table and looked up at the Water Tribe warrior.

Sokka shook his head and then circled around Zuko's desk. "You're just mister optimistic this morning, aren't you? Cheer up, buddy. You'll get it to wor—"

The minute Sokka put his hand on Zuko's shoulder to give him a friendly pat, a spark of electricity shot through him, causing him to shake uncontrollably and then fall to the ground unconscious. Zuko immediately pushed back his chair and jumped to his feet. Afraid to touch his poofy-haired friend, he just knelt before him and frantically asked, "Sokka? Sokka! Are you okay? What happened!? Sokka! Wake up!"

Sokka's eyes suddenly popped open and he looked upon Zuko's worried expression. "That. Was."

Sokka paused and Zuko fought the urge to shake him. "Was what!? What happened!?"

"That. Was," the stunned warrior repeated.

"WHAT!?"

Sokka bolted upright and Zuko immediately scooted away from him. Sokka's wide eyes met with Zuko's and he finished his statement with a loud roar. "AWESOME!!!"

Again Zuko begged for an explanation. "What happened!?"

But Sokka was currently distracted by the newfound rush and reached out to touch Zuko again. The astonished firebender instantly stood up and moved away from his deranged friend. "Don't touch me! What's wrong with you!?"

Sokka was quick to follow him, and the game of cat and mouse ensued while Zuko cried out for an explanation.

"Sokka! What happened!?"

"Come here, Zuko, and I'll show you."

"NO! Now tell me what happened!?"

"Would you stop running around your desk! All I wanna do is shake your hand!"

"NO!" Zuko shot a blast of fire in Sokka's direction but the skilled fighter dodged it with ease.

"Oh, come on, Zuko. It was just an electric shock!"

"Then why do you want another one!?"

"Because it was AWESOME!!!" In a frenzy, Sokka jumped on the desk and reached out for Zuko's robe, but the firebender expertly maneuvered away from what he thought was a crazed maniac. "Oh, come on, Zuko! I just want you to shock me one more time!" Sokka exclaimed while spread out across the desk.

Just then the door to the Firelord's study opened and in walked a very bewildered Toph. "Hi, guys." Through her feet she had sensed the struggle before the doors had even opened and now she stood before them with a questioning look of confusion etched onto her face. "What's going on?"

Sokka immediately leapt off the desk and grabbed Toph by the hand, pulling her towards Zuko. "Toph, have you met the new Firelord yet?"

"Yes! I have!" she said in irritation as she pulled her hand out of Sokka's. "Now tell me what's going on or I'll crush you both into rubble!"

"Zuko's electrifying!"

Toph rolled her eyes. "Funny, Sokka. Real funny."

"No really! Just shake his hand!"

"No! I'm not shaking anyone's hand!" Zuko was quick to counter as he backed farther away.

"Oh, come on, Zuko! Just shake—Ow!"

Toph had punched Sokka in the arm and he was now rubbing it profusely. "Would you just shut up and let me think about this for a second!" The skeptical earthbender took a step closer to Zuko. "I take it that you were you practicing your lightning again this morning?"

Zuko took a step back at the same time that Toph took a step forward. "Yes. But this has never happened before. It could be dangerous and Sokka's treating it like a joke."

"Sokka treats everything like a joke," Toph stated with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Hey!"

"Shush!" Sokka closed his mouth and moved away from the imposing twelve year old. "Well, logically, I guess it would make sense that you'd be electric. I mean, you've been practicing for weeks on that technique."

"But I haven't shocked anyone until now!"

"Well, maybe that's because you're finally getting it right."

The notion made Zuko pause. Maybe she was on to something. Maybe he _had_ finally begun to get it right. Toph was closing in on him, but Zuko failed to notice as the idea took root in his mind. He couldn't stop the hope from rising within him. Was it possible that he was on his way to bending lightning? The sudden touch of the earthbender's hand on his arm made him bolt, but Toph just stood there as if nothing had happened. "Hmmm."

"What!? Did I hurt you?" he was quick to ask.

"No." Toph walked over to the distraught Firelord, and before he could protest, her hand had grabbed his. "Hmmm," she murmured again.

"What is it?"

She dropped his hand. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

The abrupt burst of laughter at the doorway made them all jump. "What happened to your hair, Sokka?" Zuko glanced over his shoulder and watched as Aang played with the poofy hair of the electrocuted teenager. He had to admit it. Sokka looked ridiculous. And the comical sight made him want to join in with the Avatar's giggles, but he settled for a simple smile instead.

After the reason for his frizzed hair was explained to the Avatar, Sokka insisted that Zuko needed more lightning practice and the gang agreed with excitement. Even though he wanted to avoid all possibility of electrocuting someone, Zuko had to admit that he wanted to try bending lightning again. Now that he was sure he was on the right path to mastering it, he couldn't help but accept the offer, and the trio of friends was quick to follow after the Firelord as he made his way to the practice arena in the middle of the palace.

Taking up his fighting stance, Zuko circled one hand in the air and then another and shot off towards a target set up twenty feet away. He could feel it coming even before his fingers pointed outward. The blast sent him flying into the wall behind him and he slumped in defeat. But the opportunity was not going to be lost on Sokka. Without a thought to his action, he bounded across the courtyard and straight for Zuko. Before the firebender could react, Sokka touched his forehead with just his pointer finger and the short contact had the same affect as before. A wave of electrifying energy shot through the crazed teenager, but this time he didn't fall down as he'd done earlier. He just stood there in awe. "That. Was. AWESOME!!! Do it again!" Sokka exclaimed as he pulled Zuko up onto his feet and pushed him out into the center of the practice field.

"Sokka, what is wrong with you?"

"What? You didn't feel that?"

Zuko shook his head.

"It was like a bolt of lightning shot through me!"

"Then _why_ do you want _more_?"

"Because it was such an adrenaline rush!"

Shaking his head again, Zuko said, "You're hopeless."

Sokka shrugged his shoulders in response and then backed away from Zuko, waiting for him to try again. With a sigh, Zuko turned back toward his target. Zuko knew that the best way to get rid of the crazy meat lover was to indulge him, so he did as Sokka asked and tried to lightning bend once more. Unfortunately, he ended up with the same result both ways. Zuko got blasted into the wall behind him and Sokka got an electric shock. This continued on for what seemed like an eternity to Zuko until, eventually, both Toph and Aang piped up and wanted a turn. Zuko rolled his eyes but gave them what they wanted. All three of them agreed that it was quite the rush, and they each begged for just one more turn which became another and another and another until finally Zuko cried out for a break.

But just then Sokka spotted Katara walking through the garden and headed straight for them. Upon seeing his sister, a brilliant idea formed in his head and he whispered something in Zuko's ear. "No, Sokka! I'm not going to—"

Sokka covered Zuko's mouth with his hand. "Just do it, okay?"

The irritated firebender made his body temperature rise, and Sokka instantly pulled back his hand and shook it, trying to dispel the heat. "Come on, Zuko." Sokka put his hands together in front of him and his lower lip protruded into a pout. "Pleeeeaaaaasssseeee. I won't say another word about you and my sister. I promise."

Zuko caught a glimpse of the beautiful waterbender as she came around the corner and then looked back down at the pouting teenager. He was only staying for another two weeks, but any chance to be rid of the speech about his sister falling for a firebender was worth the risk. "Ok. I'll do it," he reluctantly whispered before Katara joined them.

Sokka beamed, but his smile immediately faded when Katara pointed at his hair. "What happened to you?"

Her brother was quick to answer as he tried to flatten his frizzy locks. "Nothing. Nothing."

But she could tell that something was wrong with all of them, even Aang. He might not have had hair but there was still the same crazed look in his eyes that both Toph and Sokka had.

"It looks like you've all been struck by lightning or something." Katara's eyes narrowed then as her gaze met with Zuko's. "Have you been shooting lightning at them?"

But before Zuko could answer, Sokka jumped in between them. "No, no. Of course he hasn't. He's just been practicing is all and I guess we got a little too close."

"So have you mastered it yet?" Katara asked as she looked over her brother's shoulder at the nervous firebender. At least she thought he looked nervous. He was fidgeting with his hands and appeared to be keeping something from her. She could always tell, and he knew it. "Well?" she added when he didn't immediately answer.

Sokka moved behind Katara then and he mouthed the words "don't tell her" to the nervous young man. Zuko tried to be as vague as possible while not spilling the truth. "I haven't mastered it…yet. I've just been practicing like I do every morning, and the three of them" – he pointed at the group behind her – "dropped by to watch."

Katara didn't look convinced and her gaze narrowed again. "Uh-huh."

"Why don't you show her what you've been practicing, Zuko," Sokka suggested, and Zuko gave him a look that could have burnt him to a crisp if he'd been able to shoot fire from his eyes.

"Yeah, why don't you, Zuko?" Now Toph was in on the joke as well.

Without waiting for the nod of approval, the mischievous earthbender and the playful teenager grabbed Aang's and Katara's arms and pulled them away from the Firelord. When they all stood at a safe distance, Zuko reluctantly resumed his stance. He circled his arms in the proper motion and then shot off ahead of him. The blast hit him hard and sent him flying in the opposite direction. Katara, ever the compassionate soul, immediately ran after him to help him to his feet. But before she could touch him, Sokka grabbed her by the hand and yanked her away from the electrifying firebender.

"Sokka! What's wrong with you?" she protested as she tried to break free.

Once the Firelord was back on his feet, Sokka commanded, "Zuko! NOW!"

Before she knew what was happening, Zuko had grabbed her arms, pulled her close, and captured her lips with his own. The electricity that shot through her veins caused her eyes to pop open and her body to shake. But she wasn't the only one. Zuko finally felt the electrifying shiver run through him as well. It was like she was the perfect conductor for the energy and it cycled through each of their bodies in a vigorous rush of adrenaline. But it didn't stop there. The trio of onlookers stared in amazement as a flash of violet light seemed to radiate from the couple. And then all too quickly the feeling was gone and the light vanished as Zuko and Katara pulled away from the kiss. Katara's knees gave way and Zuko tried to keep her upright in his arms, but he was as drained as she was, and they went tumbling to the ground.

While she lay on top of him with her hands on his chest, Katara looked into his eyes and asked in amazement, "What was that!?"

"I have no idea. That was the first time it shocked me in return," he replied while staring wide-eyed up at her electrified hair. "Uh, Katara, is my hair as bad as yours?"

She reached one of her hands up to his jet black hair and ran her fingers through it, feeling the frizzy texture of it. "Just about." And then her gaze met with his eyes and they both smiled before bursting out with laughter.

Between laughs, Zuko managed to tell her, "You look ridiculous."

"Me? You should see yourself! What would the people think if they saw their Firelord like this!?"

Another wave of laughter rushed through them as the three spectators joined up with the couple. "Hey, did you guys see that purple light?" Aang was the first to ask them.

Katara wiped a tear from her eye and tried to stifle the chuckles. "What purple light?"

Zuko immediately turned serious and focused his attention on Aang. "There was a purple light?"

"Yeah."

Gently rolling Katara off of him, Zuko rose to his feet and then offered his hand to her. When they were both upright and their laughter forgotten, the puzzled firebender turned his full attention on the Avatar. "How long did it last?"

"Just a couple of seconds."

"Did you all see it?"

"I didn't," Toph was quick to admit. "But then again I don't see color."

Zuko was quick to put his attention back on Aang, but Toph opened her mouth again before he could. "Although, I gotta say that the vibrations you guys were giving off were completely different from when any of us touched you."

Zuko turned to her. "They were? How?"

"I don't know. It was like you were equal conductors in the electricity. Oh, and something has changed in you," she said as she pointed up at the Firelord. "I can feel it."

Shaking his head, Zuko took a step back from the group. "This can't be happening."

"What?" they all asked at once.

With a far off look in his eyes, Zuko ran a hand through his unruly hair while he stared past them, focusing on nothing in particular. "It's not possible."

"What's not possible?" Katara asked.

Zuko's gaze met with the woman he loved as he explained. "There's this ridiculous legend that our people have and it's about how the art of bending lighting was first formed. But that's just it! It's nothing more than a fairytale."

A shiver ran down her spine at the look of awe in his eyes. "What is it?"

A smile crossed his lips. "My mother used to tell it to me when I was a child. It was a romantic tale about a Water Tribe princess who fell in love with a Fire Nation peasant, and every time they would kiss—"

"Oh, geez, let me guess," Sokka butted in. "Every time they would kiss, they would get an electric shock."

Zuko wasn't fazed by the rolling of Sokka's eyes. Instead he continued on with the story. "…electricity would flow through them. They couldn't seem to figure out why. But one day the firebender was practicing his bending and lightning sprung forth from his fingers and radiated with the blue light of the ocean. After he'd discovered this, the electric shock disappeared and was forever displayed through the art of bending lightning."

"So it was their kiss that sparked the lightning." Katara stated.

Zuko's smile widened. "Exactly."

"That's so romantic." The Firelord's eyes held onto hers as they both smiled lovingly at one another.

"Okay. Okay. We get it. It's all romantic and everything but what does that have to do with the purple light?" Sokka asked. He hated it when his baby sister looked up at the Firelord in that way. It just bugged him for some reason. Maybe it was because he was too overprotective of her. Maybe it was because their father wasn't. Hakoda would get this goofy grin on his face whenever he saw the two star-crossed lovers together, but Sokka just wanted to cringe. It wasn't that he didn't like the jerkbender. He did. But someone had to protect his sister's innocence, and it might as well be him. "Hello? Earth to Zuko."

The Firelord finally averted his eyes and looked at Sokka. "Well, that's part of the legend, too. It was always said that whenever they kissed, they were surrounded by a purple glow. It was like their elements were combined or something."

"You should try bending lightning again, Zuko," Toph jumped in with the recommendation.

"Why?"

With a mischievous glint in her eyes, the earthbender replied, "No reason. I just thought you'd like to try it again now that you've locked lips with the ice queen."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "What? You actually think I'll be able to bend lightning now after a simple kiss? That's ridiculous, Toph, and you know it."

"Hey, I'm not the one who wrote the legend of lightning bending. I was just saying that it wouldn't hurt to give it another shot," she countered.

Zuko glanced over at Katara then and she shrugged her shoulders. "You never know."

Sighing, Zuko took up his post yet again and the others backed away. There was no way this was going to work. It wasn't possible. It was just a myth after all, nothing more. But as he traced one hand around in a half-circle and then the other, he saw a spark of light flashing before him and his eyes widened. The instant he shot his right hand out in front of him, the violet light filled the arena and Zuko stared after it in amazement. Purple lightning? What the—

"You did it!" Katara congratulated Zuko as she jumped on him from behind. He about toppled over but she kept him from falling. "Did you see that? It was purple!"

"Does this mean the electric shock is gone?" Sokka asked straight away, a look of pure disappointment on his face. His sister looked back at him with a roll of her eyes and he noticed that she didn't seem to be shaking in the Firelord's arms. "Good job, Katara! You took away Zuko's electricity! Now we can't shock Suki."

As if on cue, the Kyoshi warrior entered the arena. "Shock me with what?" she asked and then she noticed everyone's hair. "What happened to you all?"

"Forget it. The jerkbender ruined it the minute he kissed my sister," Sokka replied as he plopped down in the dirt.

Suki knelt down next to Sokka and placed a tender kiss on his cheek and then tried to smooth out his hair as she said, "Oh, Sokka, when are you gonna get over the fact that Zuko and Katara love each other."

"When lightning turns purple."

"Well, it did," Katara pointed out at once. "So you'd better get over it, big brother, or I'll gladly whip your butt in our next battle."

Sokka immediately rose to the challenge and hopped up on his feet. "We'll tag team. I get Suki and the purple dragon. You can have Toph and Aang."

Katara wrinkled her forehead in confusion. "The purple dragon?"

With a sigh of annoyance, Zuko put his hand on Katara's shoulder and explained, "I think he means me."

As Sokka ran off to fetch his sword and boomerang, Katara turned to look up into the eyes of the man she adored. "Hmmm…I kind of like it. Firelord Zuko. The Purple Dragon," she said in all seriousness before she burst out laughing.

"That's not funny," he said with a somber expression and a humorless tone of voice.

Katara continued to laugh but managed to get out the words, "I think it is," before she broke down completely.

Zuko just sighed and rolled his eyes in response as the courtyard burst into laughter alongside her. It was no use. They weren't going to stop. But as he looked over at the bubbly waterbender, he smiled and knew that he didn't care for he'd finally done it. He'd finally learned how to bend lightning and the process had been nothing like his father's, his sister's, or his uncle's. It had been completely different for it had been sparked out of love. And if purple lightning was the price he had to pay for kissing his future Fire Lady, then he'd gladly pay it for he loved nothing in the world so well as her.

_

* * *

_

_Benedict - "I love nothing in the world so well as you."__  
Beatrice - "And I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest."  
This is a quote from the movie Much Ado About Nothing. If you haven't seen it yet, then what's wrong with you? It's so Zutara! And I love those lines, which is why I used them at the end of this story. =D_

_But back to the story. Okay, seriously, was that too weird? I've read through it many times and I'm still going "well, that was funny, but a little odd and yet cute and yet weird." But what did you think? Let me know. Please and Thank You!_

_As for the letter E, I went first from ENGAGED and then to ELEMENT and then to ECSTASY (which would have been good) and then finally I found the word ELECTRIC which I changed to ELECTRIFYING. And almost instantly after I found that word, the Grease song started playing in my head. Yup, you know the one! Everyone sing with me now: I got chills. They're multiplying. And I'm losing control. Cuz the power you're supplying…it's ELECTRIFYING! =D And then this idea was quick to form in my head._

_I had originally thought about the notion of Zuko having this sort of electric current running through him after practicing his lightning bending, and I got to thinking then about Sokka's reaction. We all know Sokka. He'd probably love the idea and jump at the chance to get another electrifying shock. LOL. Thus this story was born. And the purple lightning, well, that came later as I was writing. It sounded cool. The first firebender with purple lightning. AKA: The Purple Dragon! Haha. Oh, and the legend was awesome! At least, I thought so. Now I've created two legends about Zutara (one in DISTRACTED and one in ELECTRIFYING). I gotta stop doing that. But, come on, the prospect of a waterbender and a firebender just makes for a great romance! That's why we love Zutara so much!_

_So…let me know what you thought. __**PLEASE REVIEW**__!!! It's __**great encouragement**__ and it __**keeps me writing**__. You don't want me to stop writing the ABCs of Zutara, now do you? =D_

_AVidZktjo_

_**The next five letters (F, G, H, I, & J) will hit more of the serious notes that make up the Zutara relationship. It's time to get into some of the deeper issues, but I promise it will be gooooooooood! So stay tuned!**_


	6. Forever

**The ABCs of Zutara: FOREVER**

_Written by Katie Jo aka AVidZktjo_

_Why doesn't that boy just come out with it already? _the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe thought as he eyed the fidgeting firebender. Katara was busy making dinner over the campfire outside while Sokka and Suki were taking a moonlit stroll, which left Hakoda alone with the new Firelord. But at the moment, he looked like anything but the reigning ruler over all the Fire Nation. He was pacing around the room like a scared little kid or rather a nervous young man who had something weighing heavily on his mind. Hakoda could easily guess what it was which was why he kept wondering to himself why the young man didn't just spill it already and save himself the aggravation. Sokka had told him what they were up to that past week - that boy couldn't keep a secret to save his life - and Gran-Gran had also spilled the exciting news, which had been a bit of a surprise since she was unbelievably tight-lipped about other people's business. But now that Hakoda knew, he was getting impatient. What was that boy waiting for?

"Zuko." The restless Firelord dressed in Water Tribe attire turned towards the Tribal Chief and father of the one he loved. "You look like you've got something on your mind. Wanna tell me about it?" Hakoda tried to coax it out of him.

The fidgeting only seemed to increase as Zuko took a step towards Hakoda. He couldn't seem to stop shaking. What if Katara's father said no? What if he said yes? What if he told him to wait a few more years? He didn't think he could bear that. Maybe Katara would just marry him no matter what her father said. But he knew Katara. She loved her father dearly and she would want his blessing, so it was his duty to ask for it and hope to the spirits above that he received it.

"Zuko?" the Water Tribe Chief tried again.

Shaking the doubts from his mind, Zuko focused on the task at hand. "Chief Hakoda, I—"

"Just Hakoda. We're all friends here or maybe _family_ is a more appropriate term," Hakoda interrupted, trying to give the nervous lad a hint. "Either way, you're dating my daughter so we should be past the formalities by now." A smile crossed the old man's face at seeing Zuko pale at the mention of his courtship with Katara. He knew asking for his daughter's hand in marriage had to be nerve-racking, but this was only going to happen once in his life, so Hakoda couldn't help but enjoy tormenting the poor boy.

"Uh…Hakoda…"

"That's better…now go ahead," he interjected, gesturing with his hand for the anxious young man to continue.

After taking a deep breath, Zuko finally spit it out in a rush of jumbled words. "Hakoda, I'd like to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage." Hakoda tried opening his mouth to say something in return, but Zuko just started pacing again and spilling everything that was on his mind. "I know we're young. I'm only eighteen and Katara's sixteen, but I love her and I'll always love her. Nothing is going to change that. You can tell us to wait for a few more years but that would only fan the flames of our love which could lead to even more, uh, dangerous territory which I'm sure you'd be very angry to find out about if it ever did happen _which it most certainly hasn't_," he rushed to add that last part and then continued on in a hurry. "But that's part of the reason why I believe we should get married now. It's been a good two years and things are, um, heating up between us. Well, I mean, we're more mature now. We've grown up. But then I guess we're also quite young, but then again that shouldn't mat—"

"Enough!" Hakoda silenced him, while grabbing onto his shoulders and shaking him in order to stop his babbling. "Of course, it doesn't matter. You and my daughter are so very much in love, much the same way Kya and I were at your age." Hakoda threw his arms around Zuko then and the boy's racing heart began to slow. "The two of you are perfect for each other, and I would be a happy father indeed to see Katara married to a great man such as yourself." Hakoda pulled back from the embrace and looked Zuko square in the eyes. "And I'd be happy to have you as my son."

Zuko couldn't help but smile at the affectionate title. "Although, I must tell you, I've already considered you a part of the family for some time now. In fact, I had the two of you pegged ever since you helped me escape from the Boiling Rock."

Zuko looked at the Water Tribe Chief in shock. "What? But she hated me back then. How could you know that we would be together?"

Hakoda smiled as he slung an arm around Zuko's shoulder and crushed him in a strong bear hug. "Because, my dear boy, fathers know best." After releasing the squashed Firelord, the Water Tribe Chief asked, "So…where's this engagement necklace my mother's been telling me about? She says you're quite the craftsman."

Zuko wrinkled his brow in confusion and then the realization hit him. "Wait. You knew?"

With a laugh, Hakoda replied, "Of course, I knew. Like I said, fathers know best…because we know everything." The older man leaned in closer to the younger one and whispered, "So you'd better keep good on your promise to protect my daughter's innocence."

"Of course!" Zuko automatically responded as his eyes grew wide at the unthinkable notion. "I would never—"

"Good," was all Hakoda said, brushing aside the subject. "Now let's have a look at that necklace."

Maybe it was because Hakoda was an intimidating old man or maybe it was because he was Katara's father or maybe it was just that Zuko was still so nervous about the whole situation, but he immediately reached into his coat and pulled out the necklace without any delay and handed it over to his soon-to-be father-in-law. Hakoda inspected the necklace from end to end, nodding his satisfaction as he turned it over in his hands. Finally he settled on the strange emblem carved into the necklace's pendant. "I haven't seen this symbol before. Is it from the Fire Nation?"

Zuko moved closer and traced his finger along the lines he'd carved as he explained. "Actually it's an entirely new symbol that I fashioned myself. If you look closely, you can see both the Fire Nation and the Water Tribe emblems on the pendant. I thought I'd try my hand at meshing the two together and that's what I came up with."

"Well…" Hakoda said in awe as he handed back the necklace and Zuko tucked it under his thick robes for safe keeping. "That's certainly something I've never seen before."

"Do you think she'll like it?"

In all the time that he'd know the reigning ruler of the Fire Nation, Hakoda had never heard Zuko's voice so full of uncertainty. The young man had always been a marvel to him. He was strong and resolute and never showed any signs of doubt, but the boy before him that day was another man entirely. He showed doubt, worry, even fear, the kind of emotion that a man in love seemed ever to be marked with. "Don't worry, Son. She'll love it," Hakoda tried to console him. A small smile played at the firebender's lips, but then it disappeared entirely the minute a certain waterbender walked into the tent.

"So, did you guys find something to talk about while I was gone?" Katara asked as she carried in a large pot of delicious smelling sea prune stew.

"Well…we…uh…" Zuko stuttered.

"Of course, we did. You know, manly stuff like weapons and war and whatnot," Hakoda covered for him as he walked over to Katara's side and helped her set the pot in the middle of the room. "Smells good."

"It better. I've been slaving over this stew for over an hour…with no help." Katara gave both her father and her boyfriend a pointed look of accusation which they smiled sheepishly at. "So…what were you two really talking about?"

"Weapons…and…war…and…" Hakoda repeated as he moved toward the tent entrance. Lifting the flap, he yelled out into the night, "Sokka! Food's ready!"

Katara was looking at him with narrowed eyes. "Uh-huh. You can avoid my question all you like, but you know I'm going to find out eventually," she said as she pointed the spoon at both of them.

"Food! Alright!" Sokka exclaimed as he barged into the tent and dashed straight for the stew.

Katara slapped his hand away. "Wait for Grandpa and Gran-Gran."

"Eh, they won't mind," Sokka said as he picked up a bowl and reached over to dip it in the pot.

But his sister wasn't going to have any of that. She hit his hand with the spoon and scolded him again. And then they got into a petty fight about food and Zuko just stood by, happy to watch them as a delightful smile grew on his face. Sokka and Katara were always getting into fights, and he couldn't help but enjoy them. He just wished his own sibling rivalry had been more like theirs and less like a death match.

"Sokka! Get back here!" Katara yelled at him as he ran away from her with a full bowl of stew. Before her brother could put his mouth to the bowl's edge, however, Katara had bent the stew out of his reach and back into the pot.

"Hey! That's not fair! No magic waterbending!"

"Sokka! Leave your sister alone," Suki was next to scold him as she entered the tent.

Sokka rolled his eyes and sighed as his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Women."

"Men," Suki mimicked him. He rolled his eyes again but couldn't stop the smile from forming at her jest. When she stood beside him, he graciously accepted a light peck on the cheek and another reprimand. "Just be patient."

"But how can I when the food smells sooooooo good?" Sokka asked as he slumped down on the ground and absently held the empty bowl in his lap while looking down on it with longing.

"Just learn to ignore it," was his girlfriend's simple reply as she sat down next to him.

"Ignore it? Are you crazy? This is _food_ we're talking about! It's delicious sea prune stew with all the fixings!" Sokka licked his lips at the tantalizing thought, and just when he felt like all hope was lost, Kanna and Pakku joined their group. The forlorn food addict immediately jumped up on his feet and exclaimed, "They're here! Let's eat!" and the tent erupted with laughter.

The evening meal was one that Zuko had come to look forward to in the weeks that he and Katara had been there. They're work together in restoring the nations to their original splendor was far from finished, and there was still much work to be done even in the Southern Water Tribe. So it was nice after a hard day's work to have some family time, time that he had never had as a kid. Even though the sea prune stew wasn't exactly his favorite dish, he loved it anyway for it brought him together with his new family.

Zuko glanced over at Katara then and smiled as she laughed at one of her father's jokes. She was a beautiful woman in every way a person could be. If only his mother could have met her. He knew she would have been proud to accept her into their own family, not that it had ever really been a family. But the heartbreaking thought didn't faze him. There was too much joy and compassion among the Water Tribe people to even have time to think on sad things let alone let them sink in. Uncle had been right. The Water Tribe people were all about family and community and love, and the happiness he found among them was erasing the hard lines from his face and replacing them with smiles of honest joy. He'd never been happier in his life, but the night wasn't over yet.

"Katara," Zuko said her name as he rose to his feet. "Would you mind taking a walk with me?"

Katara set her empty bowl aside and took his offered hand, letting him lead her out of the tent. "That's my boy," Hakoda mumbled into his food and every mouth in the room curved up into a knowing grin except for one.

"Where are they going?" Suki asked. When an answer didn't come, she looked around the room at the other four. Upon seeing the mischievous glint in their eyes, she understood right away that she was on the outs of the joke. "What's going on?"

Hakoda cleared his throat and gave Sokka a "what are you waiting for" kind of look that his son immediately shook his head at.

"Sokka," Suki said with a commanding tone of voice that the Water Tribe warrior couldn't escape from. Reluctantly, he met her gaze and she repeated, "What is going on?" Her eyes were practically digging into his soul, searching for the answer that she was confident he would spill eventually.

It took some effort, but Sokka managed to shake his head and answer, "I can't tell you. Not yet."

Unfortunately, Gran-Gran wasn't as subtle as his father. "Zuko's just gonna pop the question to Katara. No biggie." The elderly woman shrugged her shoulders like it was common knowledge and then took another sip of her stew.

Suki's eyes filled with excitement at that announcement and a huge smile broke out on her face. "That's fantastic! Oh, I hope she let's me be a part of their wedding. I can help her plan!" And with that Sokka was saved for Suki went off on all her plans for his sister's wedding.

Her chattering seemed to go on forever, but then the one question he didn't want to hear flew out of her mouth. "So, Sokka, where's my engagement necklace?"

Oh, great. Now he was trapped. "Uh, well…I dunno. I wasn't even thinking about it really. I mean, marriage…it's kind of like being imprisoned."

"What."

Sokka's eyes popped open at her harsh tone and he immediately realized his mistake. "No! No! I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that it's like living without any freedom."

"UGH!" Suki jumped up on her feet and stomped out of the room, and Sokka was quick to follow after her.

"No, wait! Suki! I didn't mean it like that either!" he yelled after her as he exited the tent.

"I don't know what she sees in that boy," Hakoda said to the remaining group and the elderly couple nodded in agreement as they continued to eat.

When Sokka burst out of the tent, he took off on a sprint in Suki's direction, trying desperately to get her to stop running. "Suki! Wait! I didn't mean it!"

But she only yelled back at him, "Sure, Sokka! Whatever!" and then ran faster.

"Suki! I just wasn't ready!"

The furious girl abruptly came to a halt and turned on her boyfriend who about crashed into her. With a pointed finger in his face, she asked, "Then when will you be ready? When Zuko and Katara have their third child? Honestly, Sokka, we're just as old as them and just as much in love, so what's the hold up? I might as well join the Kyoshi Warriors again if you're not even thinking about it!"

Suki turned on her heels and started to walk away again, but instead of chasing after her, Sokka dropped to one knee, pulled out his unfinished engagement necklace, and held it out to her. "Suki, will you marry me?" he rushed to say.

"Oh, please, Sokka. Don't joke about this now. I'm not in the mood." Her back was still turned on him but she'd stopped just a short distance from where he knelt.

"No, really, Suki. I want to marry you. I just wasn't ready. You see, I was working on this engagement necklace" –Suki slowly turned around at the mention of the necklace—"and I wasn't done with it yet. Zuko finished his a lot faster than I did. He's actually quite good, but I just couldn't get yours right. So I've been working on it for days trying to finish it."

Suki bit her lip as tears sprung to her eyes. Before her she saw her boyfriend with an adorable look of worry on his face, kneeling in the snow, while holding an engagement necklace out to her. She didn't even care what it looked like. All she cared about was him. "Oh, Sokka."

"I know. I know. I should have gotten it done faster, but I just wanted it to be perfect for you, Suki, just the way you are for me." Sokka couldn't tell if the tears in her eyes were for his idiocy or if she was happy, so he just kept rambling. "I didn't mean what I said before. I _want_ to get married. I really do. And I've actually thought about it a lot, and I know now that you're the only girl for me, although I gotta say that sounds rather corny, but it's true. You're like the meat for my empty stomach and I—"

Before he could finish, Suki had jumped on him and they both fell back into the snow with a soft thud. "I love you, too, Sokka. And, yes, I will marry you." And then she captured his lips with hers in a passionate kiss and Sokka thought he might rather like being imprisoned.

///A\\\

Katara could tell that something big was on Zuko's mind because he wouldn't even look at her. And whenever he wanted to tell her something that he knew she wouldn't like, he would fidget uncontrollably and refuse to look her in the eye. And no matter how much she asked him about it, he would hold off until the last second and then blurt it out at the most unexpected interval. He was just like Sokka. Hopeless. And yet, somehow, she had grown to love him more than she ever thought possible. She couldn't help but smile whenever she stared up into those radiant golden eyes of his and saw her love mirrored in them. Katara had never thought it possible that the one man she had loathed for what seemed like an eternity would now be the one man she could never live without. She just wished he'd spit it out already.

Katara tried clearing her throat to gain his attention, but even that didn't seem to work. His mind was preoccupied, and she would just have to wait. In the meantime, she enjoyed the sweet tranquility of his company and the bright moon up above. With her arm in his and their hands intertwined, they strolled along the snowy beach amidst the pleasant mix of silence and crashing waves. It gave her room to think, and her thoughts rapidly turned to their approaching departure. She would miss it here, and she would miss her family. Gran-Gran, Grandpa Pakku, Suki, her father, and even her annoying big brother would all be locked away in her heart for the coming months. It was sad that she wouldn't see them for a full year, but it was necessary. She'd made the decision after the war had ended that she would rather stay with Zuko and help him restore balance to the world. It had been a tough price to pay, leaving her family behind. But as she put her head on Zuko's shoulder and nestled in closer to him, she knew it had all been worth it.

Zuko rested his head atop hers and thought to himself that she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, and he knew he'd never get over it. Every day she grew in grace and beauty and he never could stop himself from being amazed. Even though he'd tried to fight it back when he had joined the Avatar, he couldn't silence the truth for long. The woman walking beside him was everything he'd ever wanted and more, and he would have been a fool to deny it. But he hadn't denied it. Instead he'd unbelievably fallen in love with the ice princess.

Zuko couldn't mark the date or the time when it happened, he just knew it had. The minute he had seen that lightning flash before his eyes and headed for her heart, it had finally struck him how much she meant to him, and he'd gladly sacrificed his own heart in her stead. But, thank the spirits above, she'd been able to revive him. And now, as they walked hand-in-hand under the light of the full moon, he couldn't believe how true his uncle's words had been. Destiny was a funny thing indeed and it had been right there before his eyes in the crystal catacombs under Ba Sing Se. How had he ever walked out on her? He'd never understand it. All he knew was that there was no chance he'd ever walk out on her again.

"Katara?" he whispered her name as he came to a stop. In a heartbeat, the waterbender's eyes found his and he was locked into her penetrating gaze. Zuko took a deep breath and forced his nerves to surrender as he continued. "I know we've only known each other for two years, but it feels like forever." Zuko wanted to kick himself for that clichéd line, but he just sighed and pushed past it. "What I'm trying to say is that…well…I know we're young and everything but…when you love someone…" Zuko sighed again. "I…" Great. Now he couldn't even form full sentences.

Abruptly Zuko let go of Katara's hand and turned to face the ocean. "Katara, I'm not very good with words. I never have been when it comes to stuff like this. I don't know how to ask you this in a romantic fashion or through some poetic song. I'm not that kind of man. I'm just me. And all I can do is ask in my own way."

Katara stepped up to his side and looked upon the unblemished side of his face. "Ask me what?"

He turned towards her then, took a hold of her hands, and stared into her translucent sapphire eyes. "Katara, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

His simple question was so sweet and adorable that all Katara could do was smile up at him while her eyes sparkled with all the love and joy that was in her. She was about to open her mouth and respond, but her soon-to-be husband wasn't finished yet.

"I can't promise you that it will be easy. In fact, I promise you the exact opposite. As my Fire Lady, you'll live with me in the Fire Nation and months could pass by without seeing your family. I don't have anything that I can give you in exchange for the loss of time, but I can promise you this." Zuko knelt before Katara and looked up at her with a burning conviction shining forth from his eyes. "I will love you all of my days, and even after I'm gone, I will continue to love you. My heart will belong to you alone just as it has always belonged to you. We shall be together forever, whether here in this life or the next for nothing could ever tear me from you. I pledge to you my love, my life, my forever. So will you…Katara, Daughter of the Water Tribe…marry me…and become my Fire Lady?"

And he didn't think he was romantic? He was the most romantic person she knew, and he'd just proven it with his beautiful means of proposing. But before Katara could answer, Zuko let go of her hands and reached into his thick robes. After pulling out an engagement necklace, he rose to his feet and held it out in front of her. "Your grandmother and Master Pakku helped me dye the ribbon both red and blue."

"And the symbol? Is that something from the Fire Nation?" she instinctively asked while her gaze was transfixed on the intricately carved pendant.

Zuko's smile widened. She was so much like her father. "No. Actually, it's both the emblem of the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes. I combined the two and created a new symbol and a new meaning for it."

"What does it mean?" Katara's eyes were back on his now, the necklace all but forgotten.

"It means…forever." Tears sprung to Katara's eyes then and they spilled over on her cheeks, but she didn't seem to notice. All she saw was the exquisite face of the man she adored, and she knew she'd never see anything more beautiful in all her life than the look of pure love in his dazzling gold eyes. "Katara." Zuko reached his hand up to wipe away the tears, and Katara closed her eyes, leaning into his gentle touch. "My love, don't cry."

"How can you ask me not to when you've made me so happy," she said as she opened her eyes and stared into his again. "You've made me so happy, Zuko."

"So is that a yes?" he asked though he was sure he knew the answer.

Katara's only response was to frame his face with her hands and pull his lips down onto hers. With sweet acceptance, Zuko tasted the mouth of his future bride and knew that forever was there in her arms, in her eyes, her touch, and her kiss. But before forever could become an eternity, Katara pulled back from the kiss, and once more the beautiful blue eyes of his princess met with the amber glowing eyes of her prince. "Yes, Zuko, I will marry you. And I'll stay with you forever, till the end of my days and beyond. We'll always be together for I love you like I have never loved anyone or anything since. But I must tell you something." A mischievous glint appeared in her tear-filled eyes. "Whether you believe it or not, you're the most romantic man I've ever met, and you've stolen my heart right out from under me."

"Do you wish for it back?" Zuko simply replied with the biggest smile she'd ever seen etched into his handsome face.

Katara bit down on her quivering lip and shook her head. "Never. It's yours. Forever." And then her mouth claimed his yet again in another sweet kiss that sent them spiraling into an eternity of passionate adoration.

///A\\\

The misfit pairing of Sokka and Suki were the first to return to the tent, and Hakoda quickly snatched them up in his arms, crushing his son and future daughter-in-law in a huge bear hug that left them in need of air. It wasn't long before Zuko and Katara came to join them, and they were each given hugs in the same _loving_ fashion. Once the two squashed couples had caught their breath, the quiet evening turned into one of great cheer and thunderous celebration. It had been years since such joy had been in his household, but with both his daughter and daughter-in-law wearing the new engagement necklaces of their intended husbands and his son and son-in-law sporting huge goofy grins, Hakoda found himself rejoicing again. His children were well on their way into bright, glorious futures, and he couldn't be happier for them both.

As he watched his growing family discuss the wedding plans, he couldn't help but be reminded of the time when they were both born or the moment of his own joyous wedding or the look of love his wife had blessed him with for all those years. He missed Kya and wished she could see this moment, but Hakoda knew that somehow she was seeing it. Though she was gone, she lived on through Katara's compassion and Sokka's spontaneity. Both of them had a piece of their mother, and she would live on forever through their lives and the lives of their children. The thought made Hakoda's lips turn up into a smile that had long since been buried.

"Dad?"

Katara's voice broke through the memories and pulled him back to the present. "Yes, Katara?"

"You suddenly became so quiet," his daughter pointed out to him. "Is something on your mind?"

Hakoda leaned back and scratched his chin in thought. "Not really. I was just wondering…" he trailed off.

Katara couldn't reign in her curiosity and just had to coax it out of him. "What about?"

With a teasing gleam in his eyes and a playful turn to his smile, Hakoda replied, "I was just wondering which one of you is gonna give me grandchildren first. So…who's it gonna be?"

Sokka and Suki and Zuko and Katara looked over at each other with wide eyes and nervous grins. They didn't know how to answer. But Hakoda's laughter was answer enough.

_

* * *

_

_You gotta love Hakoda! After all, fathers know best…and apparently they know everything. Watch out, Zuko! =D_

_Well, this sucks. This is my longest story yet and somehow, I really don't know how, they just keep getting longer. Maybe that's because I just love the Zutaraness so much that I don't want it to end. Who knows. But I do know that I loved this story. It was cute and sweet and romantic. Plus, Sokka's proposal is just hilarious! So like him, at least I thought so. "You're like the meat for my empty stomach." Priceless! I cracked up laughing when I wrote that one._

_Then there is Zutara, all lovey-dovey and sweet. And, come on, we all know Zuko is romantic! Just look at The Beach episode or the timeless question: "If you could have anything in the world right now, what would it be?" Fruit tarts? What the heck, Mai! NO! I'd take him and his beautiful soul! Ahahahahaha! Get it! Jesse McCartney was gonna be Zuko! *chirp chirp* I know. I'm as hopeless as Sokka. But, seriously, Zuko is very romantic. He gets Mai ice cream and gives her a shell and sits on that comfy couch all nestled up close to her just enjoying her coughboringcough company. Yup! He's a romantic guy! Even when he fumbles around with words, which just makes him more romantic. =D_

_Okay, back to the making of this story. I've been stuck on the letter F for quite some time now actually. I mean, I knew I wanted to use the word FOREVER but I threw around several ideas until I finally settled on a proposal scene. Of course, then I was stuck again cuz I was like "Oh, crap, how am I gonna do this?" Seriously, the idea didn't hit me until the morning of! Ugh! But when it finally did, it all came together seamlessly. The idea of Zuko asking Hakoda for his daughter's hand in marriage was what hit me first, so I ran with it. And soon after that the idea for Sokka's proposal hit me next and I was like "Alright! Now I'm rolling!" But then I look down at my word count and see that I'm at 5,000 words and I'm thinking to myself that I'll never be able to get to my Boiling Rock fic if I keep writing such lengthy one-shots. But, oh well, don't lose faith fellow Zutarians! I will get back to that fic eventually! I promise! For I have an ending for it that is just too good to pass up! =D_

_**I'd like to give a special thanks to *Lavender Leo* who inspired the whole Hakoda scene with her TALK OF FATHERS one-shot**__. Great one-shot! Be sure to check it out! I kind of went off her one-shot in a way when Hakoda was talking to Zuko about the Boiling Rock. Her story makes the perfect prequel to this, so what are you waiting for! Check it out NOW!_

_And last but not least, I'm sorry for the delay. I've been busy catching up on some other fics in case you haven't noticed. __**I recently posted two new things – a rewrite of the ZUTARA CAVE and a TOKO one-shot called A PROPOSED TREATY.**__ Be sure to check them both out. It felt great to get that Toko story off of my plate. It's been in my head for far too long so I just had to write it down already. But now I'm focused back on The ABCs of ZUTARA and my BOILING ROCK Rewrite. Tomorrow I'll have a new letter for you, too. And I can promise you right now that it's gonna be gooooooood and seriously…well, I hate to give it away, so I won't. =D_

_Well, that's all! Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! __**REVIEW PLEASE**__!!! It's great __**ENCOURAGEMENT**__!!!_

_AVidZktjo_

_*My Author Notes are getting longer too. I really gotta work on that. LOL.*_


	7. Gone

**The ABCs of Zutara: GONE**

_Written by Katie Jo aka AVidZktjo_

AN UNOFFICIAL SEQUEL TO FOREVER

"Katara?"

The sound of her father's gentle calling barely registered with her but still she managed to stop and say in an even tone of voice, "I'm fine, Dad," before continuing along the corridor toward her bedroom.

As her family watched her walk away, the blind earthbender stepped up beside the torn old man and told him, "She's lying." Toph barely managed to get the words out before her throat constricted and her sobbing continued.

Wrapping his arm around her shaking shoulders, Hakoda replied, "She'll be lying to herself for a long time, Toph." His arms tightened around her then as he added, "We all will." Tears began to roll along all their faces and everyone gathered around the grieving pair. Each one of them was caught up in the tender embrace and every hallway of the Fire Nation palace was filled with the sound of their endless weeping.

///A\\\

As the expressionless Fire Lady walked along the passageway to the Firelord's chambers, she tried to focus her mind on something other than her own anguish. She'd been trying to do that ever since the beginning of that month, but it wasn't working. Every time she walked along the palace corridors, she was reminded of him. She tried to escape it by getting outside of the palace walls and among the Fire Nation people, but that just raised other joyous memories that only caused her more pain. As the hollow days passed her by, she thought she'd cried every tear that could possibly form, but upon seeing her father that week, her weeping had increased ten-fold.

That's all she felt she'd done for the past three weeks. Weep. Grieve. And plummet into her own endless sorrow. But now that the funeral was behind them, she was spent, and there were no more tears in her eyes. All that remained was a hard face and a buried smile that would take years to resurface. _I bought this for you, my love_. As she passed the lovely painting of her people that the Firelord had purchased for her, the words became a torment. She closed her eyes and blindly followed along the hallway to his room. She blocked out the images, the sounds, the smells, the memories and tried to think of nothing. All she saw now was an endless stream of black. There was no more color in her life. No more blue. No more red. Nothing. Just endless grief.

Reaching out for the doorknob she knew was there, her hand rested atop the coolness of the metal, turned the handle, and released it as she entered the Firelord's chambers. She didn't dare open her eyes, but she knew she must. She would have to face the emptiness of their bedroom at some point, and now was the best time for her tears were all but gone. But upon opening her eyes, she realized that the memories were not.

_"Zuko!" Katara scolded him as he stopped her in the hallway yet again to taste the skin of her neck. "Must you always start in the hallway where the guards can see us?"_

_Between kisses, he replied, "Forgive me, Fire Lady, but you're so luscious and sweet. I can't get enough of you."_

_"Well, it can wait," she said as she teasingly pushed him off of her and then grabbed his hand. Pulling him along behind her, the pair of star-crossed lovers rushed to their chambers and flung open the door. Knowing smiles crossed the faces of the guards who stood by down the hallway, but the blissful couple didn't seem to notice as they wrapped their arms around one another in a passionate embrace._

Katara closed her eyes at the memory but the unrelenting images refused to relinquish its hold on her mind. She could still feel his hands on her breasts, his lips trailing along her body, and the twisted crimson satin sheets caressing her legs as they left them torn and tattered in the wake of their love. It was no use. The memories were still too near and they came flooding in like the raging rush of the ocean's tide.

_"Zuko. Come back to bed," Katara called to him, but the Firelord was otherwise occupied as he stood out on the balcony. His Fire Lady was going to have none of that, so she wrapped the sheets around her naked body and joined him. "Zuko? What is it?"_

_With a sigh, her husband replied, "It's the Earth Kingdom. After all these years, there is still a band of rebels who want revenge on the Fire Nation. It's no use, Katara. I'm just one man. I can't make up for a hundred years of suffering. I just can't."_

_"Of course, you can't." Katara captured his face with her hand and turned his gaze towards her. "But you can bring peace to their nation, which you've done. Zuko, darling, you've accomplished so much already. There will always be some opposition whether you like it or not. War is an ugly thing, and a hundred years of peace couldn't make up for the damage. So why must you think that you can solve everything? No man can. All you can do is accept it and try to move on as I accepted and forgave you."_

_Katara placed a sweet peck on his scarred cheek and he smiled down at her. "You always know just what to say. It's a shame I can't take you with me."_

_Katara wrinkled her brow. "Where are you going?"_

_Another sigh escaped his mouth. "I wasn't going to tell you until tomorrow morning because I didn't want it to ruin our night together."_

_"Well, now that you've mentioned it, you have to tell me."_

_"And what if I don't?" he asked back with a teasing grin on his face._

_Katara abruptly turned around and started picking up her clothes. "What are you doing?" she heard her husband say._

_"I'm leaving. If you're not going to tell me, then I'll sleep in my own bedroom tonight."_

_Zuko immediately jumped in front of his wife as she made her way towards the door. He wrestled the robes out of her hands, and once he'd acquired them, he tossed them aside and captured her in his arms. "Don't go, Katara."_

_Even though his warm embrace had already persuaded her to stay, she still said, "I will if you don't tell me."_

_While she was nestled in his arms, he reluctantly replied, "I'm going to the Earth Kingdom for a month and I leave tomorrow afternoon."_

_Katara pulled back and looked up into his eyes. "Then I'm going with you."_

_"No, Katara. You need to stay here."_

_"Why? I'm just as much a part of the negotiations as you are. You know you'll need me."_

_Zuko smiled again. "Yes, I don't doubt that I'll need you, just as I needed you a second ago and still need you." He tried to kiss her neck, but she abruptly pulled away._

_"I'm not joking, Zuko. I want to go with you. I won't let you go alone."_

_Zuko tilted his head back, looked up at the ceiling, and sighed once more. His eyes found hers again as he explained, "Katara, you can't go with me. Believe me, I want you to. You have no idea how much I want you to, but we have our children to think about."_

_"Zuko, they'll be fine."_

_"Katara," he said her name with force, "I don't want to drag my children into the Earth Kingdom at a time like this. It's dangerous and you know it." Before she could suggest leaving them in the care of his uncle, he put a hand to her mouth to stop her. "No, we're not going to have Uncle babysit again. That's dangerous, too," Zuko said with a small chuckle._

_"But, Zuko–" she tried to say through the fingers that covered her lips._

_"Katara, just this once, would you not argue with me and, as you said, accept it and try to move on?" His Fire Lady's eyes drooped in defeat and he dropped his hand from her mouth. "Katara, my love, don't be sad. I'll be back before you know it. Besides, whenever I'm gone for long periods of time, you always seem to be more passionate the night I return," Zuko teased her in an attempt to bring back that beautiful smile to her lips._

_"No, I'm not going to accept it just like that," she said with a straight face._

_Zuko stepped closer to her, "Why not?" and gently placed kiss after kiss on her face._

_Katara tried not to smile, but it couldn't be helped. When he finally reached her mouth, she swung her arms around his neck and the sheets fell to the floor in a forgotten heap._

The night of his departure, that horribly wonderful night, was the last moment she would ever share with him. She could feel the tears welling up inside of her, but she quickly pressed them down as she opened her eyes. The room was the same as in her memory with only one difference. But she couldn't think on that now. She didn't dare. But still her eyes caught the sight of the bed and the new sapphire satin sheets that hadn't been used yet. Katara swallowed hard and averted her eyes. Her gaze turned toward the balcony and the images of their numerous nights of fiery passion flashed through her mind before she could stop them. So many memories. So much happiness. So much joy. And now it was all sorrow and anguish and weeping…and death.

Katara cringed and moved on from the balcony to the candles that sat atop his dresser. She noticed something new, something that finally broke her. There before the blazing candles lay a lighting tool, something she would need now that he was gone. Katara suddenly lost her balance and came crashing down upon her knees. As the tears clouded her vision, that haunting day of his untimely return became her tormentor.

_"Katara! Katara! Zuko's back!" Aang excitedly yelled across the courtyard._

_"Alright! Sparky's back!" Toph chimed in with the Avatar and the two of them raced off to their rooms to get ready, leaving Katara and Uncle Iroh to take care of the children._

_To her pleasant surprise, Katara had been granted the gift of Aang's and Toph's visit during her husband's absence. Being reunited with her friends was doing wonders for keeping her mind off of the Firelord's departure, but being the only married one of the group with three children in tow was taking its toll on her nerves. She missed her husband and couldn't wait to see him, but something suddenly felt wrong about his early arrival. "Iroh, wasn't Zuko supposed to be gone for another week?"_

_"Come to think of it, he was. But maybe he finished his business early and wanted to come home. I have no doubts in my mind that my nephew misses you as much as you miss him." Katara smiled up at the old man and graciously accepted his help in taking the three youngsters back to their nannies._

_Once Zuko's and Katara's three adorable children were safe with their caretakers, Katara rushed to her room to get dressed in her Fire Lady attire. As quickly as she could manage, she threw on the robes and then dashed out the doorway in the direction of the harbor. She caught up to Toph and Aang in no time, and it wasn't long before Iroh had joined them as well. With huge smiles on their faces, the doors to the palace opened, and they jumped in the awaiting carriage that would take them to the harbor._

_"I hate carriage rides," Toph complained for the whole trip, but everyone was in such a good mood that laughter abounded among them at her disgust._

_Zuko had come home. Katara couldn't be happier. Every time her husband was away from her, it felt like an eternity passed before she was in his arms again. But now the long wait was over._

_"Let me out first," Toph commanded them all and they graciously obliged her. "Awww…that's much better," she hummed as her feet hit the pavement. Again they all laughed._

_A crowd had already gathered to welcome their Firelord home, but Katara didn't even seem to notice. Her eyes were on the soldiers coming down the gangplank. She found that rather odd. Zuko was always the first one to disembark. Where was he? Katara craned her neck to try and see over the ship's railing, but she couldn't spot him anywhere. Then she saw it. Her heart immediately froze over, her body tensed, and her eyes locked onto the covered body that was being carried down the gangway. No. It couldn't be. Not her Zuko. No._

_The four soldiers came to stand before her. They set down the body in front of her feet and she stared down at the white sheet. She could faintly make out the outline of his face but she couldn't believe it. It was impossible. "Fire Lady Katara," one of the men spoke, but her eyes stay fixed on the covered face. "My Lady, I'm sad to report to you that the rebels…there was an attack…"_

_Attack? That's the last word she heard before her frozen heart started racing and her breath came in short gasps. She could feel Iroh's arms on her shoulders trying to calm her, but she couldn't stop the rising mix of anger and sorrow. "NO!" she abruptly yelled as she forcefully pushed Iroh off of her. The stunned old man stumbled away from her and a huge wave of water flowed up from the ocean and came to rest over the covered body. Katara dropped to her knees and ripped the sheet off of the cold body of her husband._

_"No! I can heal him! I can heal him!" The wave of water came crashing down upon Zuko's form, and Katara frantically worked to heal his outward wounds while at the same time trying to pump blood back into his heart. The water before her eyes was frustrating for it clouded her vision, but still she continued on in her efforts to heal him. It would be a while before she realized the water was her own tears. "Zuko! Wake up! Wake up, Zuko!" Iroh tried to pull her away but she wouldn't listen. "No! I can save him!" she cried as she pushed him away again. "Zuko! Zuko! Come back to me!" But somewhere in the back of Katara's cracked mind, she knew he never would._

_Her healing touch that had worked time and time again on him was unable to heal even the small gash along his arm. There was nothing to work with. No water in him. No blood. Nothing. It was all dead and gone. He was gone. Katara let go of the water then and reached out for her husband. Cradling him in her arms, she cried out not caring who heard her, "Zuko! Wake up! Wake up! You can't leave me! You promised me forever! Zuko! Zuko!" The sobs racked her body with such force that her body shook uncontrollably. _

_"Aang," Toph whispered the Avatar's name amidst the storm of Katara's unintelligible rambling. With tear-filled eyes, the somber airbender turned to her. "Where's Zuko? I can't see him."_

_Aang tried to keep his voice from cracking, but the suppressed sobs were constricting his throat. "He's dead, Toph." Aang's shoulders began to shake as tears rolled down his cheeks. "He's dead."_

_Somehow, in the midst of her weeping, Katara heard Aang's words but everything seemed to fade around her as her world came crashing down. She felt nothing, heard nothing, saw nothing. Not the sound of the crashing waves. Not the weeping of the people in the crowd. Not Iroh's arms around her or his own sobs against her. Nothing. Everything was black. No blue. No red. No sunset. No sunrise. No warmth. Only cold, bitter desolation._

"Zuko! How could you leave me!? How could you leave me!?" The sobs that had washed over her on that horrifying day were tearing her heart out again. "You promised me forever!" Katara cried out within her empty room, her emotions suddenly wrapped up in angry fury. "YOU PROMISED!" Katara's strength returned then and she rose to her feet. In a blind rage, she knocked over Zuko's dresser and then went about the room destroying anything she could. Stopping before their bed, she heard the words of his proposal in her memory and cringed.

_I will love you all of my days, and even after I'm gone, I will continue to love you. My heart will belong to you alone just as it has always belonged to you. We shall be together forever, whether here in this life or the next for nothing could ever tear me from you. I pledge to you my love, my life, my forever._

Katara forced the memory aside and shouted, "YOU LIED!" as she ripped the blue sheets from the bed. She tried to tear them apart but they wouldn't budge. Tossing them aside, she yelled again, "I hate you, Zuko! I HATE YOU!" And then she crashed to the floor and covered her face with her hands, her voice but a whisper in the dead of night. "I hate you…" and then the truth spilled out of her "…for leaving me."

She cried for what seemed like hours, but somewhere amidst her sorrow, she heard the faint ring of his voice saying her name. "Katara."

No. It was just a memory. He was dead. Gone. Forgotten.

"Katara."

The voice became clearer and she opened her eyes. Looking around the destroyed room, she saw nothing and no one, but still she spoke his name. "Zuko."

And then her eyes popped open at his distinct response. "Katara, my love."

"Zuko!" she frantically searched the room for the man that belonged to that voice but he was no where to be found. The tears spilled from her eyes again as she realized she was only dreaming. "Zuko."

But then she felt it. His arms wrapping around her, cradling her in a soft embrace. She couldn't see him, but she could feel him and hear his resounding promise. "I love you, Katara. I'll always love you. Forever." She knew then that she wasn't dreaming. He was there with her, and he would always be there with her.

"Mother?" Katara looked up and saw her son standing in the doorway. "Are you crying again?"

Through tear-stained eyes, she simply answered, "Yes," and then opened up her arms for her son to enter into. Without hesitation, the young boy ran into her embrace and they held on tight to one another. Together they wept over the loss of the one they loved, and together they would learn to move on. For when Katara looked down into the eyes of her son, she saw Zuko looking back at her and knew that he would never truly be gone.

_

* * *

_

_If that story didn't make you cry then that last line should have because it sure made me cry! Actually, in all honesty, I was quite literally balling the whole time I was writing this. No, I mean it. Even when I got the idea, I cried because the thought of losing the love of your life is so mind-bogglingly heartbreaking! I tried to put as much emotion into this piece as I could. I've never gone through something like this, so I can't write from experience. Basically, I just used my love for Zutara against myself. I tried to feel that heartbreak with Katara, and I gotta say it wasn't pretty. I'm still in tears. Ugh. It's just so sad, so very very sad._

_But, anyway, wipe those tears off your face and please don't flame me. This is the only "dead Zuko" piece I will be having, at least I think so. **Actually, I wrote this in dedication to Kuro-TheNinthSon's piece called "TAKEN."** And I gotta say that it turned out great. Be sure to check out that comic of hers. It's pretty much the ending of my story, but to see it portrayed through beautiful artwork, whoo, better grab some more tissues. I know I did._

_Okay, I promise the next one won't make you cry. Well, maybe. It's a more serious piece like this one, but not as sad. Zuko is ALIVE in it at least! =D_

_I hope you enjoyed the horrible sadness of Zuko's death. But even if you didn't, be sure to **REVIEW**!!! Thanks!_

_AVidZktjo_

_*Since I'm posting this one early, don't expect the next one for a day or two. Plus, the next one is gonna be painstakingly long, in a good way that is, so it's gonna take a bit more work. Stay tuned!*_


	8. Healing

**The ABCs of Zutara: HEALING**

_Written by Katie Jo aka AVidZktjo_

_Fire. Lightning. Anger. Rage. Sorrow. Pain. A jumble of emotions. A mix of memories. Nightmare after nightmare. Dream after dream. Nothing concrete. Nothing real. No sight. No sound. Pain. Just endless tormenting pain._

"_No lightning today? What's the matter? Afraid I'll redirect it?"_

_Breathe in. Breathe out. Standing at the ready. Waiting for the inevitable._

"_Why are you here?"_

"_I'm here to tell the truth."_

_Heart pounding. Fear abating. Conviction rising._

"_For so long, all I wanted was for you to love me, to accept me."_

_Another time. Another place. Hope. Honor. Acceptance._

"_I see the weight of your travels has changed you. You have redeemed yourself, my son. I am proud of you, Prince Zuko."_

_The dream of yesterday breaking. A hope for tomorrow dawning._

"_I thought it was my honor that I wanted, but really I was just trying to please you. You, my father, who banished me just for talking out of turn. My father who challenged me, a thirteen-year-old boy to an Agni Kai."_

"_It was to teach you respect!"_

"_It was cruel and it was wrong!"_

_Falling. Kneeling. Begging._

"_Please, Father, I only had the Fire Nation's best interest at heart! I'm sorry I spoke out of turn!"_

_An image. A shadow. An unspeakable evil._

"_You _will_ learn respect! And suffering will be your teacher."_

_Water. Fire. Tears. Flames. Suffering. Pain. Blood. Burning. A rise from the ashes. A blazing conviction. A mission born._

"_Then you've learned nothing!"_

"_No, I've learned everything! And I've had to learn it on my own."_

_Words of old. Words of wisdom._

"_Is it your own destiny or is it a destiny someone else has tried to force on you?"_

_A haunting question. A fearless answer._

"_I've come to an even more important decision. I'm going to join the Avatar. And I'm going to help him defeat you."_

"_Really? Since you're a full blown traitor now and you want me gone, why wait?__I'm powerless. You've got your swords. Why don't you just do it now?"_

"_Because I know my own destiny. Taking you down is the Avatar's destiny."_

"_Coward!"_

_Cringing. Hurting. Blazing._

"_You will fight for your honor."_

"_I meant you no disrespect. I am your loyal son."_

"_Rise and fight, Prince Zuko!"_

"_I won't fight you."_

_A mixed up mess. A jumble of words and memories. A swirling cycle of thoughts and emotions._

"_I know my own destiny, Uncle!"_

"_You know, Prince Zuko, destiny is a funny thing."_

"_You will obey me or this defiant breathe will be your last!"_

"_I'll make sure your destiny ends right then and there!"_

_A bond created, broken, and reborn._

"_The Fire Nation took my mother away from me."_

"_I'm sorry. That's something we have in common."_

_A time of forgiveness. Acceptance. Renewal._

"_I'll never forgive him, but I am ready to forgive you."_

_Warmth. Feeling. Holding. Soothing water. A raging river. The moonlit ocean. Eyes of brilliant sapphire. Eyes of acceptance. Eyes of unexpected love._

"_Your penalty will be __far__ steeper."_

_Judgment. Fear. Exhilaration. Standing at the ready. Waiting for the inevitable._

"_No lightning today?"_

_An answering challenge._

"_I'll show you lightning!"_

_Breathe in. Breathe out. A flash of blue. Sparks flying. Focus changing. Fear returning. A mistake. A horrible mistake. Heart pounding. Legs sprinting. Body racing. Realization hitting. Not her. Anyone but her._

"_If you keep an open mind and an open heart, I promise you will find your own destiny someday."_

_My destiny. My hope. My love. It's her._

_A sudden stroke of pain. Endless pain. Then silence. Darkness. Death. The beating of my heart is slowing. My world is going black. My destiny is fading. My eyes see no vision. My ears hear no sound. My mouth ceases to speak. Everything fades. Her brilliant eyes. Her kind smile. All of her. One last breath. One last look. One last mistake. She'll never see. She'll never hear. She'll never know. My eyes close. The last of me. My world goes black. Given for her. My heart stops._

Shooting up from his bed, Zuko's hand fell instinctively upon the gaping wound over his heart. It was all a dream, nothing more than a recurring nightmare. He sighed and closed his eyes. But although it may have only been in his dreams, Zuko knew just how real it had been. He could still feel it, see it, and touch it. The scar was still there. A blemish to mark his mistake, his failure, and his death. But thankfully he hadn't passed over. She'd brought him back. With her healing touch she had pumped new life into his heart and breathed hope and purpose into his newfound destiny.

Shaking his head at the haunting memory, Zuko tried to still his beating heart. He breathed in and out in even breaths, but no matter how hard he tried to still it, the frantic racing wouldn't slow. What had he been dreaming of? He couldn't even be sure. It was all a mess. A jumble of words and memories, all mashed together and incomprehensible. It was nothing and yet everything all at once. The Agni Ki that had permanently marked his face. His confrontation with his father. His uncle's words of wisdom. Azula's crafty use of lightning. And the realization of a greater destiny found in the unexpected formation of love. All at once and yet all separate. Exhilarating and yet terrifying. Different and yet equal. He shook his head again, trying to dispel the numerous nightmares. Would he ever be able to escape it?

It would be some time before the sun rose. He could sense it, but he could not fall back asleep. He was far too awake. Tossing aside the covers, Zuko swung his legs over the side of the bed and just sat there, head in his hands. His body was on fire, sweat pouring down every inch of him, fear and terror rising within him. He wanted to be free of this, free of these nightmares and horrible memories. The war was over and peace treaties were already being negotiated, so why was he still facing this unending torment? He'd changed, given up the past, and moved on. And yet the words of his father still rang in his ears. The wisdom of his uncle still made him question who he was. And the haunting challenge of his sister still made him cringe and caused his chest to writhe in pain.

He could still feel the spark of lightning cycling within him. Katara had never been able to fully heal it, and even the very thought of the event that caused it brought his heart pain. He could feel it now, burning up inside of him. Clutching at his heart, he closed his eyes and sucked in air through his gritted teeth. He wished the torment would stop, and yet he hoped that it never would. Every time his heart beat cruelly against his chest, he was reminded of the destiny he had raced to save. And Zuko knew even now that he would have done the exact same thing if he'd been given the chance to redo the past.

He would have rushed to save her, to protect her from Azula's lightning, and to sacrifice his heart in place of hers. No pain could ever match the sorrow he would have faced if he'd lost her. For he loved her, more than he ever thought possible. It had been unexpected, creeping slowly up on him, but he couldn't hide from it, couldn't deny it, couldn't run from it. After she had revived him, it had been a joy indeed to discover that her heart was in the same condition as his. It had not been shot through with lightning, but love had been sparked within her all the same. And their first kiss on that fateful day had revealed the truth of this.

Zuko smiled at the memory, but suddenly the smile became an agonizing cringe. A shiver of pain shot through his chest, and his hand tightened over the open wound. It was no use. It would never be healed. Just like the scar on his face, he would wear this mark his whole life through. But it didn't matter. Ignoring the pain just as he'd learned to do in the past few months, Zuko rose to his feet and went about his morning routine. He drew a bath for himself, washing off the sweat and daily grime with the refreshing coolness of the water, and then dressed in his royal attire.

It would be at least another hour before the sun rose and even longer still before Katara would awaken. Their meeting with the Northern Water Tribe council was not scheduled until later that afternoon, so he had plenty of time to himself. But that was just the opposite of what he wanted. Maybe he could go to her room and wake her up. She would be angry at him for sure, but the thought of her grumpy disposition only made him smile. She was not a morning person, and no doubt she had stayed up well into the night as she did most every evening, so she would not be happy if he woke her. It was no use then. As much as he yearned for her presence, he decided that it would be best to let her rest. There was no sense in waking the sleeping giant three mornings in a row.

So without his Water Tribe Ambassador at his side, Zuko walked out of his room, out of the ice palace, and into the streets of the city. It was peaceful just before the dawn. No people running around. No people anywhere for that matter. Zuko found this rather calming and it did his heart good. Not to mention that the brisk winter air refreshed his body. As a firebender who basked in the blistering heat of summer, he found it rather odd that he quite enjoyed the refreshing coolness of the winter. He would never admit it to Katara, but he loved the water, the ocean, the moon, and the chilled air that filled his lungs every day. Maybe he had always been destined to love her element. It was as if the spirits had fashioned them for each other well before their meeting. Zuko's grin widened. His uncle had been right. Destiny truly was a funny thing.

It wasn't long before Zuko arrived at the same place he'd been frequenting now for the past week. Without pause, he opened the secret entrance and walked into the warmth of the Spirit Oasis. It was his favorite place to be and it wasn't because of the warmth. He found tranquility and peace in its sanctuary, which was another odd thing he would never be able to understand. As Zuko walked over to the Koi pond, he once again stared up at the mountain of ice that Katara had skillfully encased him in. Amazingly, it had never melted and no waterbender had ever returned it to normal. In a weird way, it had become a part of the oasis and he rather liked that it remained in place. It was a pleasant reminder of the battle that had ensued between himself and a certain fiery waterbender. Of course, with that memory came less pleasant ones, ones that he'd rather forget.

With a sigh, Zuko turned toward the Koi pond and sat down before it. He stared into the crystal clear waters and watched as Tui and La circled around each other in their never-ending dance. One black, one white. One above, one below. The moon and the ocean. They were the perfect symbol of balance and harmony and yet they were different and unique. Much the same way that he and Katara were.

_No lightning today? Afraid I'll redirect it? _The memory came flooding in before he could stop it. His hand clutched at the robes covering his heart. He closed his eyes and tried to dispel the images but that only made the memory more potent. _I'll show you lightning!_ Azula's eyes had been crazed and wild that day and he should have known that she would do something cruel and sadistic, but she had never been predictable. She was crafty and devious and he had always been easily caught in her trap. Azula knew just where to strike him every time and the funny thing was that it was never with fire. Going after the people he loved was her specialty. First Uncle, then Katara.

Zuko sucked in a quick breath as the pain hit him again. He could still see the flash of blue sparks, the sudden change of her focus, and the lightning that shot forth from her fingertips. It had happened so fast. His eyes had seen the inevitable course of the lightning, his legs had moved out of instinct, but his heart had raced out of undying love. Zuko cringed. The strike of the lightning had been as painful as receiving the scar on his face, and the mark it left was just as permanent. The electricity cycled through his body in a flash, but he could still feel it in every nerve, every muscle, even down into the depths of his bones.

All he knew in that moment was pain, excruciating pain. It moved like fire within him, burning him from the inside out. But just as quickly as the lightning struck, the sparks dissipated and he crashed to the ground. Seconds, all it took was seconds to realize that he was dying, but in those few moments that he had, he caught sight of her one last time. With his dying breath, he had declared that he loved her. It was a whisper in the night, but he had said the words all the same. He just wished she had heard them. With the image of her terrified face engrained in his thoughts, his eyes closed, his world blackened, and his heart stopped.

Zuko sighed and his hand tightened over his chest. He had died that day and yet he had not appeared in the Spirit World. He couldn't remember anything that happened after his final breath. Instead it was like he hadn't even passed on. As soon as his heart had stopped, he felt it starting up again. And then he beheld her tear-stained eyes and saw her radiant smile. He couldn't even recall exactly what she'd said for he was in such a haze, but he would never forget the touch of her lips upon his. Zuko's hand loosened from his robes and came to rest in his lap once more. Her kiss had revived a hope in him, a hope he thought was long since buried.

Taking a deep breath that filled his lungs with the warmth of the oasis, Zuko could sense the change in the horizon before it happened. The sky was beginning to glow with the first light of morning. The sun would soothe the ache in his chest and he looked forward to its rising. But with the breaking dawn came more unpleasant memories, more pain, and more mistakes.

_You will fight for your honor._ Why was he reliving these moments today? He was in the Spirit Oasis. It had never brought on these memories before, but now they wouldn't stop coming. _I won't fight you._ He could still recall the crack in his voice, the fear that overtook him, the frantic quickening of his pulse. _You will learn respect and suffering will be your teacher._ Zuko turned his face away at the same time that the memory of himself met with the gaze of his father. He saw no mercy there, no remorse, nothing. His father was an empty shell, but he had been too blind to realize it then.

More pain. More excruciating torment. He could still feel the sting of the fire on his cheek and his eyes still beheld the flame as it came bursting forth from the Firelord's fingertips. He had faced more fear and suffering in that moment than he'd ever faced in all his life. And no matter what he did, no matter how many good decisions he made, the memory would never stop haunting him and the fire would never cease to burn him. He would never be healed no matter how much he wished for it. Zuko's hand suddenly found the scarred flesh of his cheek and he traced the hard lines the flames had left behind. It was no use. There was no healing for him for no one could erase the past.

"Zuko?"

Closing his eyes, Zuko breathed in the sweet scent of his waterbender. Her presence alone was healing enough and he couldn't be more happy to see her. Dropping his hand from his cheek, he rose to his feet and walked over to her. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he looked down into her brilliant blue eyes and said with a smile on his lips. "You found me."

She returned the smile. "Of course, I did."

"How did you know where I'd be?"

Framing his face with her hands, she replied, "Because I know you so well."

He'd heard that sentiment before, but as her lips met with his, he realized this time it was the truth. After sharing a sweet morning kiss, Katara pulled back and her brow wrinkled. "Zuko."

His smile faded. "What is it?"

Her hand caressed the scarred side of his face. "You're up rather early this morning. It happened again, didn't it?"

Zuko sighed. She knew him far too well. "Yes. Even after all these months, I still can't seem to shake it."

"Why not, Zuko? You've changed. You shouldn't be having these nightmares." The hand that had been touching his scar fell from his face and slowly made its way to the mark over his heart. "Maybe it's—"

The sharp gasp escaped his mouth before he could rein it in. Katara immediately took her hand off of his chest and stepped back. When her hand left, his replaced it, clutching at the robes that covered the area. It was acting up again, worse than usual.

"Zuko, I—"

"It's not your fault, Katara," he replied as the sudden pang subsided. He dropped his hand then and unclenched his gritted teeth. Looking into her tear-filled eyes, he knew in an instant that she was blaming herself once again for the mark over his heart. "Katara," he whispered her name as he reached out for her.

She shook her head and backed farther away from him. "No!"

"Katara," he said her name more forcefully as he continued to advance on her.

"No, Zuko, no." Her voice was just a whisper as the tears began to pour down her cheeks. His arms found her quickly and she reluctantly leaned into the warmth of his embrace.

"I'm here, Katara. I'm here," he soothed her as he stroked her hair.

Her throat was constricted but still she managed to speak the words he'd heard time and time again. "I almost lost you. I almost…you died, Zuko. It felt like forever. I tried to bring you back. I tried."

"And you succeeded. Katara, you—"

She fled from his arms then and moved over to the Koi pond. Her eyes were on the fish as they swam about but he could tell that her thoughts were far from them. Sighing, Zuko walked over to where she stood and put his hands on her shoulders. "Katara."

"Do you have any idea how long you were out for?" she suddenly questioned him. The tracks of her tears still marked her face but they had stopped forming in her eyes.

Zuko didn't know how to answer. Of course he had no idea how long he was gone for. He was out cold. He didn't even know what happened to him when he died. Every other part of that memory was crystal clear except for everything that happened after his heart stopped. Even after she'd revived him, the memories remained clouded. Zuko could never be sure what happened let alone how long he was out for. "Katara, I don't—"

"It felt like an eternity. I don't know how long I pumped blood into your still heart, but it seemed like hours passed before you were breathing again. You probably don't even know that I stopped bloodbending your heart at one point and just cried into your chest. I begged the spirits to bring you back to me. I begged and pleaded until I became so angry that I shouted into the heavens. I prayed and prayed that you would come back but you never did. And then the silence of the courtyard surrounded me and I just stared at your lifeless face." Katara turned and faced the man who had saved her. "You had never looked more beautiful to me than in that moment." Katara paused and lifted a hand to his scar. "You didn't even feel it, did you?"

"Feel what?" Zuko replied in little more than a whisper.

With a small smile tugging at her mouth, Katara stood on her tiptoes and placed a tender kiss upon his scar. Looking back up into his eyes, she answered, "That."

Zuko gave her a puzzled look and she continued. "I kissed your scar. In fact, I kissed every part of your face, even your lips. But still…" The memory brought her pain and she looked away from him. "But still you did not come back to me. After I had tried everything in my power to revive you, I buried my face in your chest and just wept."

"Then how…"

"I'll never forget it." Katara met with his eyes again. "I told you that I loved you. The words came out of me so easily. It was so unexpected and I never thought it would happen, but I had fallen in love with you, Zuko."

A smile brightened up his face at her proclamation. He wanted to reiterate the sentiment, but she wasn't finished.

"But then I realized that I would never get to tell you."

Zuko suddenly found it rather amusing how alike they were. The first time they had declared their love for one another, neither one of them was around to hear it. He spoke the words with his dying breath, and she spoke them while his heart was at a stand still. What were the odds?

But Zuko's amusement quickly died down as Katara continued. "With my ear pressed up against your wound, I cried for what felt like a lifetime. But at some point during my weeping, I heard a faint noise. At first I thought it was just a trick of my imagination, but the sound continued to build and then I realized what it was. It was the beating of your heart. You had come back to me." Tears sprung to Katara's eyes again. "I thought you had left me forever. I thought you would never come back. I thought I would never get to tell you—"

Zuko's lips abruptly silenced her mouth. Swinging her arms around his neck, Katara deepened the kiss and pulled him closer. His grip around her waist tightened and he melted into the warmth of her touch. But just as quickly as he'd captured her mouth, he suddenly pulled away and cupped his hands around her face. "I love you, Katara. I love you so much. And I was afraid too that I would never get the chance to tell you. As I lay there dying, I declared my love for you but you never heard it."

"You did?" she asked, and then she closed her eyes as the tears continued to fall.

Zuko used his thumbs to wipe them away in a gentle stroke. "I did. I whispered those words of love with my last breath, but then you brought me back and I was able to say them to you again."

Katara opened her eyes and stared into his. "Oh, Zuko." She brought her hands from around his neck and framed his face as he did to hers. Zuko smiled back at her and she couldn't help but mimic him. Then ever so slowly, their foreheads met in the middle and they both closed their eyes in a sigh of relief and contentment. The war was over. Peace was being restored. And they had each other. Zuko wrapped his arms around her waist again and she rested her head upon his chest. They stood there in that warm embrace until the horizon was alight with the sun's rays and all their doubts and worries of the past lay behind them.

With the sun out in full force, Zuko breathed in the morning air and welcomed the flow of healing energy into his body. It warmed him to his core and even soothed his scarred heart. But the sun could only do so much for him. He knew it was the woman in his arms that was the real healing force in his life. Without her, who knew where he would have been at that moment. If his sister had hit her mark…but there was no reason to think on that now. He was here. She was here. They were together. And that's all that mattered.

"Zuko."

"Yes, my dear?"

While she was held in the Firelord's arms, Katara's gaze had remained fixed on the Koi pond at their feet. Her thoughts were still centered on that gruesome battle that had almost been her lover's demise, but they were no longer focused on his death. Instead her thoughts were more positively inclined. He may have been struck by lightning, but he'd saved her. He may still have a mark over his heart, but she'd healed him. He may have died, but she'd revived him and they were together now. But still she was haunted by the consequences. He tried to hide it, but she knew he endured the pain of that sacrifice on a daily basis. She'd struggled to mend it, but water alone could not heal the mark upon his chest or remove the electric current running through his veins. But maybe… "I don't know why I didn't think of it before."

"Think of what?" Zuko asked as his arms were forced to part from around Katara's waist so she could kneel before the circling fish.

He watched with a puzzled expression as she dipped her hand in the pond and then stood before him once more. She lifted her water-covered hand before his eyes and only then did he realize what she was referring to. _This is water from the Spirit Oasis. I don't know if it would work but…_ The kind words that had been spoken long ago filled his thoughts. Surely she didn't mean to heal him, but the look in her eyes said otherwise.

Zuko's heart beat wildly within him. It couldn't work. Could it? No. It was impossible. He'd had his scar for so long, he'd had both for so long, did he really want to be rid of them. The one was a mark of failure and disgrace, the other a mark of sacrifice and love. Both a part of him. Both permanent and immovable. Both healed already through the love of the waterbender that stood before him. "Katara."

With a look of pure excitement in her eyes, she explained, "This is the same water that I offered to you under Ba Sing Se. I can heal you, Zuko. I can heal you." She took a step closer to him and his eyes widened. "But…" He held his breath. "I'll only do so if you want me to."

The joy and excitement continued to brighten up her face, but in her eyes he saw something more. He saw a deep understanding, one that only she had been able to show to him. He never thought it would be possible, but he'd actually found someone that knew him better than he knew himself. He could see it as clear as the morning sun. It was written in her eyes. She knew the answer before he even realized it.

Only moments ago he had been wishing for the chance to be free of his mark. It had always been a distant dream and nothing more. But now she was offering it to him, presenting him with the attainable prospect of renewed hope. It was no dream. He could choose to be healed or he could choose to remain scarred. He thought he knew the answer. In fact, he'd known his answer a year ago, but now he wasn't so sure. Was he still the same man? The answer hit him in a heartbeat and he immediately understood the look of insight in her eyes.

The Zuko that had been imprisoned under the streets of Ba Sing Se was no more. Those words that he had yelled back to her during their battle were more true now than they'd ever been. He had changed. He _was_ changed. The Zuko that was more than willing to accept her selfless gift no longer existed. Instead he had been replaced with a man that knew his own destiny, knew his true path, and knew the decision that had to be made in that moment. "Katara, I…I can't. It must stay. It's a part of me. It's who I am."

The healing water transferred over to her left hand and Katara lifted her right up to the mark on his left cheek. "I know, Zuko. You once told me that you saw your scar as the mark of failure, the mark of the banished prince, but it was never so. Your father may have burned you out of cruelty and you may have once seen it as the mark of dishonor, but, Zuko, my love, you couldn't have been more wrong. It is not the mark of failure or the mark of dishonor or the mark of any foul thing. It is the mark of love."

Katara took a step closer to Zuko and stared up into his eyes as a smile brightened up her face. She steadily traced the ragged edges of his scar as she continued. "Out of love for your people, you spoke up in that meeting. You stood up for those that were to be slaughtered for some selfish war tactic. You showed more honor than your father ever had or any man for that matter. That is why this scar is not just a scar, Zuko. It is a mark of love, of change, and of _real_ honor. I'm just happy to see that you've finally realized that for yourself."

Zuko closed his eyes and slowly filled his lungs with the morning air. She knew him so well. But she had only mentioned one blemish. Gazing upon her radiant smile once more, he asked, "And what of the other?"

His hand instinctively went to his heart and her eyes followed his movement. She knew what he would answer if she offered to heal it. She knew he would decline just as he had with his other mark. She knew it, but still she wanted to heal him. Katara had tried numerous times to soothe the wound over his heart through her healing touch, but still the lightning remained intact within him. She could feel the energy cycling through his veins and she didn't know how to get rid of it.

Zuko had finally learned how to bend lightning, but even that did him no good. The electric current that his sister had shot through him was steady and unwavering and this only brought fear and worry into Katara's life. What if the current eventually wound its way back into his heart and killed him? It was already doing painful damage to him on a daily basis. He tried to hide it, but she easily saw through his charade. He was in pain and she was determined to relieve him of it no matter what the cost. Surely he would see reason in that.

"I know it causes you great pain." Zuko tried to protest, but Katara put a hand to his mouth and silenced him. "You can't hide it from me. I see what it's doing to you and I'm worried. I'm worried that…" Katara dropped her hand and bit on her lower lip. "I don't want to lose you, Zuko. I _can't_ lose you. Not again."

Zuko looked down at the woman he cherished and a smile tugged at his lips. Worry had been her constant companion ever since the Agni Ki that had almost cost him his life. She would ask him daily about the ache in his heart, and he would simply answer that with her in it how could there be any pain. It was his routine reply and she would always roll her eyes at him every time he said it. But although he found her questions amusing, he knew she lived in constant fear of his death. Every time he clutched the fabric over his chest, it caused her as much pain as it did him. He would give anything to erase that fear from her mind, even the mark that was a welcome reminder of his love for her.

Taking a hold of her dry hand, Zuko lifted it to his chest and set it over the fabric that covered his scar. "My heart is yours, Katara, it has _always_ been yours. Therefore, it is not my decision to make. The choice belongs to you just as my heart does, so you may do with it what you will."

For a moment, Katara just stared into Zuko's eyes. She heard the words he was saying and knew he spoke them in truth, but she could also see the same desire she'd seen earlier. Finally she spoke. "Zuko, I can see it in your eyes. You want to keep it, and I know why. It's a reminder of your sacrifice."

Lifting a hand to frame her face, Zuko gently caressed the soft skin of her cheek and entranced her with the fire in his amber eyes. "Katara, as much as I'd love to keep this reminder of my love for you, I don't need it. It makes no difference whether it's seared into my flesh or not. I will love you all the days of my life and nothing will ever change that. Your presence alone is all the reminder I need."

Katara breathed in a sigh of contentment as she closed her eyes and melted into his gentle touch. He always knew just what to say to warm her heart. It was no wonder she'd fallen in love with him. But her joy of the tender moment was short-lived for Zuko's cringing gasp broke through her thoughts and made her drop her hand from atop his chest. Katara was just about to back away from him again when his hand grabbed a hold of hers and firmly planted it over his heart. "No, Katara, I'm alright."

He was always denying it and it was making her angry. "No you're not! Zuko, you're getting worse. That's twice now in under an hour."

"I'll be fine, Katara," he tried to reason with her.

But Katara was not going to be reasoned with. "Are you sure? Your sister shot you much worse than Aang. The lightning didn't go through your back but it penetrated your heart and for some reason it still flows through your veins. Who's to say it won't eventually kill you? I have to get it out of you, and the only way to do that is to heal you. You must see that."

Raising her water-encased hand before his face, her eyes begged for his permission to act. Zuko knew it was useless to fight with her. She was right after all. The healing had to be done. He had tried to hide it from her, but the pain was getting increasingly worse by the day. He just hoped the water from the Spirit Oasis would finally be enough to heal him.

Letting go of the hand he still held captive over his heart, Zuko reached for the tie that held his robes in place. After loosening it, he took a hold of her water-glazed hand and pulled back the fabric that covered his chest. Placing her hand over his scar, he waited for her water to glow and the healing process to begin. But nothing happened. "Katara?"

Suddenly her hand lifted and he felt her lips upon his scarred flesh. After the sweet kiss, her hand began to glow and found its way back to his chest. Her eyes were averted from his but he still knew that she was holding back tears. Katara had told him many times that she loved him just as he was, scars and all. He knew she was sad to see the mark vanish for it was as much a reminder to him as it was to her. Sometimes it brought on horrible memories of a past they'd both rather forget than remember, but other times it would remind them how they had unexpectedly fallen in love in the midst of their quarrels. It was a bittersweet reminder but one neither one of them wanted to see disappear. But Zuko's life was more important than a memento of their love. It was, after all, just a scar, nothing more. The real love that that fateful day had sparked was still within him, and no amount of spirit water could heal the recurring ache in his heart that occurred every time he held her in his arms.

Zuko's eyes abruptly popped open. The energy that he'd felt flowing through him for months was suddenly gone. There was nothing. Not the sting of the current nor the pain of the lightning spark. All of it had vanished. Zuko breathed in deeply and let the air expand his lungs. No pain. Nothing. He exhaled and then inhaled again. It was amazing. He could breathe for the first time in a year. There was no sharp pang in his chest, no spark in his body, no more pain at all. He was finally his old self again. And he'd never felt better.

With a huge grin lighting up his face, he took hold of Katara's chin and lifted her eyes to his. Upon seeing his utter joy, a smile broke out on her face as well and the tears she'd been holding back slid down her cheeks. She removed her hand from his chest then and let the water fall back into the pond at their feet, all the while never dropping her gaze from his. As soon as the last drop of water fell from her command, Katara placed both of her hands over Zuko's heart and leaned in closer to him. "It worked, Zuko, it worked. The electric current is finally gone. I just wish we had come here ages ago."

With more excitement than he ever thought possible, he replied with an unnaturally high voice, "It doesn't matter anymore. I'm healed and whole now. Katara, it's finally gone. I can breathe again." Zuko inhaled several large gulps of air to prove his point, but then without warning his brilliant grin faltered and his expression became somber.

"What is it, Zuko?" she immediately questioned him, afraid that the pain had come back.

"It's nothing, Katara. It's just…if only I'd been able to keep it." A sigh escaped his mouth, but then just as quickly as his smile had dropped, it came back in full force. "It doesn't matter. I guess it was meant to be this way. I may not have the scar anymore, but I have you. And you're all the reminder I need."

Zuko leaned down to capture Katara's mouth with a passionate kiss, but she abruptly put a finger to his lips and pushed him back. He looked down at her with confusion and waited impatiently for an explanation. After wiping the tear stains from along her cheeks, she gazed up at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes and said, "I'm surprised you didn't realize it, Zuko."

"Realize what?"

Katara's smile widened as she removed her other hand from atop his chest. Looking down, Zuko beheld the image of sacrificial love still branded over his heart. He blinked and then looked into Katara's eyes again. "I worked around it, but I don't think it would have healed anyway. It's too deep of a wound." Placing her hand over the mark, she traced the edges of his burnt skin with her fingertips and then her lips planted a soft kiss over his heart. He looked down at her with a gaze that spoke of love and adoration as she folded the robes back over his chest. Once his royal attire had been put back in its proper place, she beheld his glowing amber eyes once more and said, "Now that your pain is gone, I can rest easy and look upon your scar with joy."

While mimicking her smile, he replied, "We both can."

Katara fell into his arms then and held on as tightly as he did. With her nestled into his chest and his chin atop her head, he heard her mutter one last question to him, "No more nightmares then?"

Zuko closed his eyes and breathed in the soothing scent of the ocean from her hair. "No more nightmares. I've come to accept the past, and I'm ready to move on into a brighter future." His arms tightened around her as he added, "And that brighter future is with you." Katara's only answer was a gentle hum of agreement as she too closed her eyes and tightened her hold around him. While cradling each other in that tender embrace, Zuko came to realize that although the water of the Spirit Oasis may have mended his body, his real healing had come from the woman in his arms and the love that they had unexpectedly discovered in the midst of war.

_

* * *

_

_Let me start off by saying that I'm sorry for the delay. It's been a crazy week. Let me just sum it up for you – my computer was acting up so naturally I had to spend hours and hours trying to fix it; I had interviews out of town (whoo-hoo); because my computer was acting up, I quickly became sick of it and wanted a break which I gladly took; and then I worked on this story for three days straight trying to bend it to perfection. Yup. That's about it. So, again, I'm sorry, but I can tell you now that I'm back on track with things and the Letter I should be coming shortly. =D_

_Now, about this story. I worked on it for three days. Ugh. I wanted this to be perfect or at least as perfect as it could be. I like it, but I'm not sure it's my best. Oh well. The dream sequence was kind of awkward but I'm okay with it now. It is after all a dream sequence so it's not supposed to be clear and concise._

_The part in Zuko's mind, you know when Katara isn't with him, is by far my favorite part! If you haven't already guessed it, Zuko is my favorite character so I'll probably be spending more time in his head than Katara's. Plus, he's just more interesting and more complex. Katara, eh, she's easy. LOL. Which is why it was nice to add some depth to her character in GONE. I really liked that piece. It's probably my favorite right now._

_But, anyway, back to the story at hand. I like the moment with Zuko and Katara at the Spirit Oasis. I really do. Maybe I'm just being paranoid or something, but I hope it's good. I've been psyching myself out about this story for the past three days, which is why it took so long. Well, that and it is my longest piece yet. Over 7,000 words. Phew! I gotta stop writing these long ones._

_I digress. What I'm trying to say in a nutshell is that I freaked about this story for the past three days and was constantly telling myself it wasn't good enough. I mean, this is one of the biggest moments in the life of Zutara. Sure, it wasn't on the show, but it's still one of those huge moments that would come to pass later in their romance. Eventually they would return to the North Pole and I'm betting that Katara would offer to heal his scar. But I'll never ever believe that he would accept it. Instead he would come to accept his past for what it was and move on, choosing instead to keep his mark._

_Oh, and the addition of the second scar was a great idea, I thought. I'll always see the ending of the Finale as the way that I described it in this story. Zuko gets shot in the heart. He dies. Katara revives him through bloodbending. And then they declare their love and share their epic first kiss! Awww…so romantic._

_But the idea of the lightning still cycling within him was totally off the wall and in the moment. It sounds cool, though. I mean, think about it. The heart is like the central part of our bodies and for lightning to pass through it, at least in their world, I picture it causing some major damage both externally and internally. Plus, I like the idea of Katara healing him in that way with the scar remaining behind. It was just cool. But what do think?_

_**REVIEWS are most welcome! Please & Thank You!**_

_AVidZktjo_

_***** Oh, and since I took so long to post this, I'll even tell you what the Letter I stands for. IDENTITY. If you're an obsessive Zutarian like I am, you should be able to figure out what its about in a heartbeat. =D *****_


	9. Identity

**The ABCs of Zutara: IDENTITY**

_Written by Katie Jo aka AVidZktjo_

"We need more supplies," Katara announced to the gang while they were all gathered around the campfire for the morning meal.

"Eh. We've got plenty," Sokka countered as he took another gulp of his stew. "Besides, we don't want to weight down Appa. He's already got enough to carry."

"Sokka, Sozin's comet is still weeks away and we just escaped Azula at the Western Air Temple. She burned most of our supplies, not to mention we weren't able to grab a whole lot either. We need more. Besides, we'll be staying out here for a while. Aang's got more training to do, we've got nowhere else to go, and the village isn't that far from us anyway."

"Exactly! Zuko and I revealed our location and she found us. So we have to stay put and lie low. We can't go traipsing around villages and revealing ourselves. We'll just have to make due."

Katara held up a bag of rice before her brother's eyes. "This is the last we have, Sokka, and it's only enough for about three days. We need more!" Setting the bag back down, she tried to reason with her stubborn sibling. "If you're so worried about me, then why don't you just come with? You can do some shopping."

Sokka leaned back and rubbed his chin. "That does sound tempting."

"Then it's settled," Katara confirmed while jumping to her feet.

"Hold up," Sokka said as he stood to join her. "I can't go."

"Then I'll just go alone. I'm a big girl, Sokka. I can take care of myself." Katara turned and walked over to her tent. Sokka followed after her, blabbering about the fact that she shouldn't go alone because she would need help carrying the food. Katara ignored him, packed her bags, exited the tent, and stood defiantly before her brother. "Sokka, I'll be fine. Don't worry. I can carry it all."

"But we'll need rice and meat and all of those herbs you like to use. No, you'll need to take someone with you."

"Then why not you?"

"Because I promised Suki we'd do some sparring today."

"Sparring?" Katara narrowed her eyes at him. "With your weapons or with your tongues?"

A mischievous grin crossed Sokka's lips. "I dunno. Maybe a little of both."

Rolling her eyes, Katara pushed past him and walked over to the campfire. Rummaging through their supplies, she found the money pouch and put it in her bag. "Katara, you have to take someone with you. You know you'll need help," Sokka explained to her once again.

Standing to her feet, Katara faced her brother and reluctantly agreed. "Alright. Fine. I'll take someone with me." Looking around at the gang still eating their breakfast, her gaze instantly fell on her airbending friend. "Aang, how about you?"

Aang looked up at her, an excited smile bursting onto his face, and opened his mouth to speak, but Toph quickly smacked her hand over his lips and silenced him. "He can't. We've got a lot of earthbending practice to get in today." Aang's expression instantly plummeted, but Toph didn't seem to notice. An excited smile of her own had suddenly crossed her lips along with a playful sparkle in her eyes. Dropping her hand from Aang's mouth, Toph continued to eat and Katara narrowed her eyes at the grinning earthbender. What game was she playing at now?

With Aang and Toph training for the whole afternoon and Sokka and Suki "sparring," that left only one other person. Katara knew in a flash that the firebender had realized the exact same thing for she heard his annoyed sigh long before her gaze centered on him. When her eyes finally did lock with his, Zuko stared back at her with a look that clearly spelled out his irritation at being the chosen one for the task. Unlike Sokka, he did not like to shop, and adding the furious waterbender into the mix only made the trip even less appealing. He didn't want to go and Katara couldn't agree more. Looking back at her brother, she said, "Well, I guess that's it then. I'm going _alone_," and she turned and walked away from the group.

Sokka immediately began to protest. "Wait, Katara! You can't go alone!" But his sister didn't even hesitate. Looking back at Zuko, Sokka told him, "She'll need help. You should go with her."

Downing the last of his breakfast in one large gulp, Zuko stood and shoved the empty bowl into Sokka's hands. "Fine. I'll look after your moody sister, but don't expect me to come back happy."

"You're never happy," Sokka simply stated as Zuko walked past him, picking up his discarded backpack on the way.

Ignoring Sokka's comment, Zuko took off towards Katara, and after a few long strides, he had easily caught up with her. "I don't need your help," Katara said while she continued to walk with her chin held high and her eyes forward.

"I know." A slight grin pulled up the corners of his lips. "I just thought it would be nice to spend the afternoon in the presence of your wonderful company." Katara eyed him over her shoulder and Zuko teasingly added, "After all, it's been _terribly_ enjoyable these past few weeks."

Katara huffed and lifted her chin higher as her gaze returned to the path in front of her. "Go ahead and laugh all you want, but I'm watching you, Mr. I've Changed."

Zuko rolled his eyes. This constant heated banter between the two of them was getting old. "Yes, I know. If I make one step backward or give you one reason to think that I might hurt the Avatar, then you'll make sure my destiny ends right then and there."

Katara abruptly stopped and turned on him, pointing a finger in his face. But before she could get even a single word out of her mouth, Zuko's grin widened and he cut in, "Oh, that's right. You said you'd make sure my destiny ends right then and there, but you added something extra. Now what was that word again?" Zuko leaned in closer to her, his teasing smile having disappeared, and Katara was taken aback by the sudden look of pain in his eyes. "Ah, I remember. Permanently."

As her hand fell back at her side, Katara replied in a harsh whisper, "Yes, and don't you forget it!"

Carved into the hard lines of his face was an expression that sent a shiver of shame down Katara's spine. She tried to ignore the guilt that was rising within her, but his gaze was making it increasingly harder to concentrate on anything but the golden tint in his eyes. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally answered back, "Don't worry. I don't think I could ever forget it," and then he turned and continued in the direction of the village.

After swallowing down the guilt and pushing aside her shame, Katara's frown returned and she quickly followed after him. They walked in silence for the remainder of the trip. Neither one of them was in the mood to talk nor to say what was really on their minds. But, thankfully, it only took a half hour to get there and their quiet surrounding was rapidly filled with the hustle and bustle of the quaint Fire Nation village. It wasn't very big for a harbor town, but it did have all the supplies that they needed.

Without so much as a word to each other, Zuko and Katara went about the village, looking at various stalls and entering numerous stores until they each had two very large bags to carry back. "I think that's all of it," Katara said to him after several hours of shopping. Zuko's only response was a brief nod and she took that as their cue to leave.

"Get back here, you thief!"

Both of them turned toward the sound of the bellowing voice, and they watched in horror as a band of Fire Nation soldiers threw fire whips at a young woman trying to run from them. She didn't appear to have anything in her hands and Katara instantly believed the best of the young girl. After all, everything was the Fire Nation's fault, therefore, that girl had to be innocent. Dropping the bags at her feet, Katara took a step toward the commotion but a hand abruptly fell on her shoulder and pulled her back. "What do you think you're doing?" Zuko whispered in a rough tone of voice.

"Someone has to help her!" Katara exclaimed as she pulled away from him and started down the street. The young woman had been tripped by the fire whips and was now sprawled out in the dirt. Before she could get up on her feet, the five soldiers surrounded her and brutally lifted her off the ground.

Katara felt two hands on her arms before she could even get within ten yards of the commotion. "We can't help her. It would make a scene and we could be discovered," Zuko forcefully explained to her as he began to inch them both back behind the crowd of gathering people.

Katara tried to break free from his grip but he outmatched her in strength and easily held onto her. "You don't understand! We have to help her! She's innocent!"

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do! You Fire Nation people are all the same. You're nothing but a bunch of vile criminals who will take out your anger on anyone you come across. Just look at yourself!" Katara cruelly whispered back at him.

Zuko's grip loosened ever so slightly at her accusation and she took the opportunity to break free. But Zuko was just as fast as he was strong and he grabbed a hold of her wrist, yanking her around. She came barreling into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her in a death grip. "That's not true! My uncle is nothing like that. And…and neither am I."

Katara squirmed in his arms while her eyes held fast with his. "Ha! You!? You must be joking. You're just as bad as the rest of them. You say one thing and then do another. You're a hypocrite and a liar. What makes you think you're any better than your father!?"

Zuko's eyes widened in shock at her last statement and he wanted to yell back at her, but he knew that if he did, it would cause an even bigger scene and they couldn't afford that. With a sigh and a shake of his head, he let go of her and then leaned in to say for her ears alone, "Then what are you waiting for? If I'm such a horrible person, such a _vile_ criminal, why don't you just kill me now? Why not _permanently_ end my destiny right here? I'm sure those soldiers would find great sport in it and even congratulate you on your capture of the banished Fire Nation prince. My father would probably even award you with a medal of honor. So what are you waiting for? Go ahead. Just do it."

Katara opened her mouth to counter him, but how could she when his eyes were locked with hers. The pain and anguish she saw in them was enough to stop her in her tracks, and she instantly lost her train of thought. Who was this Zuko? For weeks he'd quietly stood by taking every hit she threw at him, and she'd waited impatiently for him to fight back. But now that he finally was, she wasn't sure that she liked it.

Every time their eyes met in the midst of their arguments, she noticed things she'd never seen before. She saw anger in him to be sure, but now she was seeing something new. Hidden behind his hard countenance, she saw sorrow and shame, guilt and pain. And in the few seconds that his eyes held hers, Katara came to a new realization. It was all her fault. Everyone else in the gang had been building him up, but she was only tearing him down, chinking away at his pride with every bitter accusation she threw at him. What was wrong with her? _I have changed._ The sudden memory of his hypocritical declaration ignited the fire within her once more and she pushed the unwelcome revelation away. Katara opened her mouth again to give him a response but was abruptly silenced by an even louder voice.

"I didn't steal anything! I'm innocent! My father will die if I don't go home. Please, you must let me go!"

The ring of the young woman's plea hit Katara's ears before she could utter a word and she immediately turned toward the commotion in the middle of the street. The girl's wrists were being locked in chains and she was no doubt going to be hauled away to one of their ships. Katara desperately wanted to help, but as much as it pained her to admit it, Zuko was right. They couldn't make a scene. It was too risky.

As Katara watched the Fire Nation soldiers drag the girl toward the harbor, she knew that there was only one solution. She would have to find another way to free the poor girl. It wouldn't be easy, but she was sure that she could manage. With a plan already forming in her mind, Katara turned her attention back on the banished prince and simply stated, "We best get going. It's almost dinner time and Sokka will be grumpy if he doesn't get fed soon."

The waterbender's jibe at her brother didn't even register with Zuko for he was still focused on what she'd said to him. _What makes you think you're any better than your father?_ As he picked up the two large sacks and slung them over his shoulders, Zuko tried to think of an answer. He could tell her that he'd changed, that he was different now, but she would never believe him. He'd betrayed the compassionate waterbender and hurt her in the process. He knew that. And he also knew that it would take some time for her to forgive him that was _if_ she ever forgave him. Zuko wondered if they would ever again come to that place of acceptance and understanding as they had in Ba Sing Se. He wasn't sure. All he knew was that he couldn't sit around any longer and do nothing.

Katara slung her two bags of supplies over her own shoulders and walked past him. Zuko would have followed her, but a plan was beginning to take shape in his mind. He had his swords, but he was missing something. Maybe that costume shop he'd seen would have what he needed. "Katara, would you watch our supplies for a second? I forgot something." Before she could answer, Zuko had dropped his bags and taken off around the corner.

Katara let her own bags fall to the ground and then started tapping her foot. Crossing her arms, she waited impatiently for his return. What had he forgotten? They'd bought everything they needed, so what was he rushing off to get? She didn't have much time to ponder that thought for within minutes he was back at her side and slinging his bags over his shoulder. A grin was suspiciously plastered across his face, and without delay Katara questioned him, "What did you forget?"

"It doesn't matter. They didn't have it," he answered as he walked past her.

Katara slung her bags over her shoulders and skipped after him. When she was at his side, she tried a different approach to the question. "What didn't they have?"

"A lot of things."

Katara rolled her eyes. Fine. If he was going to be difficult, then so was she. With as much force as she could manage, Katara rammed her body into his side and wickedly grinned as he began to topple over. Unfortunately for her though, the movement caused her to lose her balance as well and she couldn't stop herself from toppling over with him. Their bodies as well as their supplies went crashing to the ground. Thankfully, the supplies weren't damaged, but Katara's pride was. She didn't know if it was the fact that she lay on top of him or if it was the fact that their faces were only a breath apart, but a blush colored her cheeks in a heartbeat and she cursed herself for being so stupid.

"What did you do that for?" Zuko was the first to speak.

Pushing on his chest in an attempt to rise, Katara explained, "I didn't mean for both of us to fall. I just wanted you to."

"Well, your plan went horribly wro – Ow!"

Katara had tripped on the fabric of her skirt and crashed into Zuko's chest. "Sorry," she said as she tried to get up again.

"Here, why don't you just let me help you?"

"I don't need your help."

"No, of course not. Why would you need my – Ow! Would you stop doing that!?"

"Ugh. This stupid Fire Nation outfit is driving me crazy!"

"Then why don't you just take it off!?" Katara's eyes immediately stared into his with such venom that he would have shuddered in fear if it weren't for the adorable blush that was still brightening up her cheeks. "I didn't mean it like that and you know it. I just meant—"

"Yeah, yeah. I know what you meant." Katara attempted for the third time to get up and it finally worked. "There. See. I didn't need your help after all."

Zuko rolled his eyes and sat up. Lifting his hand up to her, he said, "Well, I could use some help."

Katara chuckled. "And what makes you think I'll help you?"

A huge grin suddenly broke out on Zuko's face as he replied, "Because I think there's something you need to know."

"And what's that?"

Without her help, Zuko rose to his feet and continued to smile down at her. "Oh, nothing."

Katara rolled her eyes and leaned down to pick up their bags. But before she could sling them over her shoulders, an elderly woman came up to her and told her in a whisper, "Excuse me, miss, but did you know that your skirt has come undone?"

A gasp escaped Katara's mouth as she dropped the bags at her feet and clutched at her skirt. All that tripping had pulled her skirt almost down to her knees. Why hadn't she noticed? Katara quickly pulled it back up and tied it securely around her waist. With an even brighter blush on her cheeks, she thanked the old woman and then stared up at Zuko. His smile had doubled in size now and she was ready to yell at him, but just then he broke out in a laugh. Zuko? Laughing? She'd never heard him so much as chuckle, but sure enough he was actually laughing. Katara couldn't believe it and she instantly forgot what she was going to say to him.

Upon seeing the surprised look on Katara's face, Zuko's laughter died down and he quickly became serious again. "What's the matter?"

Before she knew what she was saying, the words had exited her mouth. "You laughed. I've never heard you laugh."

Wrinkling his brow in thought, Zuko replied, "It's been a long time since I've had a reason to."

Katara sighed. "Oh, so my humiliation is a good reason then?"

A slight chuckle shook his shoulders. "I guess so."

Katara grunted and turned on her heels. Picking up her bags, she wildly threw them over her shoulder in an attempt to hit him in the head, but fortunately for Zuko, he was able to dodge it. Reaching down and then slinging his own bags over his shoulders, they started off toward the outskirts of town. Silence was their companion for the whole trek, but Zuko had never been more at ease.

He couldn't believe that he'd actually laughed. He was just as amazed and surprised as she was. It had been months, years even since a laugh had escaped his mouth. But just the simple joke that he played on Katara was enough to make him burst out in amusement. It was odd and yet strangely comforting. She might not have been able to see it in that moment, but Zuko did. He had changed, _truly_ changed. He was no longer Zuko, the banished prince. Instead he had taken on a new identity as Zuko, the changed man. And he knew that given time, Katara would eventually see his new identity as well, at least, he hoped she would.

"Alright! Food!" Zuko rolled his eyes at Sokka's predictable welcome. Was his mind always on his stomach? It was a wonder he wasn't as fat as his uncle by now with all the meat he consumed. "So, what did you guys get?" Sokka asked as he opened the two bags that Zuko set as his feet.

"It's food, Sokka. Does it really matter what it is?"

The campsite burst into laughter.

"Good one, Sparky," Toph congratulated him and a small grin appeared on his face.

Katara just rolled her eyes at his joke and pushed past him, setting her own supplies next to his. Sokka opened her bags up as well and started rummaging through them. "Where's the meat? All you've got is rice and herbs and spices and vegetables. Where's the meat!"

Sighing, Katara pointed a finger at her brother and said, "You didn't want to come with, so that's your loss. You chose instead to stay here and _spar_ with Suki."

A blush developed on Suki's cheeks at Katara's obvious insinuation and Sokka jumped in to defend her. "Hey, I love Suki and I'll spar with her all I want."

"Yeah, we know, Sokka. Just don't do it front of us, okay?" Toph rolled her eyes at him. More laughter filled the camp as both Sokka and Suki turned bright red.

In an attempt to change the subject, Sokka asked his sister, "So, what's for dinner?"

After the laughter died down, Katara immediately got to work on preparing their supper while the rest of them sat around waiting for it to be finished. Zuko, on the other hand, was back at his tent, unpacking the items that the shop didn't have. While looking down at the familiar mask, a plan of action formed in his mind and he knew what he had to do. She may never know about it, but he would do it for her all the same. It was what she wanted and he was determined to please her. It was just a shame that she would never know. Hiding the mask under his makeshift pillow, Zuko told himself that it didn't matter. She may never know, but he would. He would know that he'd changed, know that he'd helped her in some way, and know that he was nothing like his father. Zuko would prove to himself that night that he was no criminal and neither was the Blue Spirit.

///A\\\

_I will never ever turn my back on people who need me. _With that promise in mind, Katara rose from her mat and rummaged through her clothes for the one cloak she never thought she'd use again. She could have chosen instead to disguise herself in a different fashion, but she found that becoming the Painted Lady in a Fire Nation village had its advantages. She was, after all, a Fire Nation spirit. Katara hoped that the soldiers would know about her and would even be fearful of her. If she were lucky, the story of her first appearance may have even circulated throughout the Fire Nation. It would certainly make her mission easier. Either way, it was the perfect disguise. After completing her ensemble with bright red face paint, Katara peeked out of her tent, making sure the coast was clear, and then took off toward the village.

Zuko stopped dressing himself when he heard a faint rustle near his tent. Someone was still awake? It was the middle of the night. Who could possibly be awake at that hour? He listened for a few more seconds, but the noise seemed to have vanished. It could have been Momo or some other wildlife so Zuko shrugged it off and pulled the shirt over his head. Lifting up his pillow, he snatched the mask out from under it and secured it tightly in place. Grabbing his swords, he took one last glance around the campsite and then exited his tent.

The village was a half hour away, but he made it in half the time. At one point along his journey, he thought he'd seen movement up ahead. It might have been someone from the town on a midnight stroll or a Fire Nation soldier out on patrol, but he never did catch up to them. As soon as he reached the outskirts of the village, the figure vanished altogether and he was left to wonder who it was. It didn't matter though. All that mattered was the mission at hand. It seemed rather insignificant to him. What was the rescue of one girl in the scheme of things? But it was what Katara had wanted, and it didn't matter how small the task, he would complete it. For her.

There were three Fire Nation vessels docked at the harbor, but it didn't take long for him to figure out which one the young girl was being held in. Zuko knew his ships, and by the design of their flags, he could tell which one it was. The other two were cargo ships, but the one on the left was used for prisoners. With the agility and speed of a cheetah monkey, Zuko wove his way through the streets of the village and to the left side of the harbor. There was a long stretch of open space between him and the ship, so he had to wait a while for the guards to dissipate before he made a break for it. Little did he know that another veiled figure was waiting for the same opportunity.

The second the two of them fled from the protective shadows of the village, they spotted one another. But the opportunity to advance on the dock was not going to be lost to either one of them, so they continued to sprint toward the ship and met up at the exact same location. The Blue Spirit drew his swords as soon as he stopped in front of the stacked cargo and likewise the Painted Lady encircled her arms with water from her pouch. In a hushed whisper, they asked simultaneously, "Who are you?"

The water in Katara's hands flowed from one to the next in a challenging motion, and Zuko took a step forward, his swords at the ready. They knelt there in front of one another with their eyes locked, not that Katara could see his, and waited for the other person to speak first. When it was clear that neither one of them was going to answer, they came to the same conclusion and the fight began.

While producing as little noise as possible, Katara sent her water flying in his direction. He dodged it and rolled behind her. Crossing his swords at her throat, Zuko sternly whispered in her ear, "I don't have time to fight. Just tell me who you are." But Katara was not so easily overcome. In one swift movement, she splashed the water in his face, fell from out of his vice, and turned around to face him. Gathering up the water, she flung it out at his swords, knocking them from his hands. Zuko didn't even have a second to react. Before he knew it, he was on the ground with her on top of him, an ice dagger at his throat.

Disguising her voice for fear that she might be discovered, Katara asked him again in a low rumble, "Who are you?"

Zuko opened his mouth to answer, but his eyes caught movement behind him and he reacted out of instinct. Fire blazed forth from his fist and sent two soldiers flying off the dock and into the water. The splash was sure to attract attention, as if their fight hadn't done enough damage already. Katara glanced behind her and saw the brunt of his attack. So he was a firebender. But she didn't have time to ponder that thought for the man beneath her dissolved the dagger in her hand, grabbed her shoulders, flung her on the ground beside him, and swung himself on top of her. Now she was pinned to the ground.

In the same fashion as Katara, Zuko disguised his voice with a rougher tone. "We don't have time to argue. I'm here to rescue the prisoners from this ship, so either get out of my way or I'll make you."

Before she could answer, the masked man had rolled off of her, snatched up his swords, and disappeared around the cargo. The sound of weapons clashing and fire blazing reached her ears in an instant. Jumping to her feet, Katara bent her water back into her pouch and ran around the boxes and out onto the dock. The masked firebender had already taken down three guards, but more were advancing on him. With one graceful move of her hands, Katara lifted a wave out of the ocean and sent it crashing into the soldiers. They glided off the dock and only the man with the mask remained. He looked back at her with what she could only guess was a confused expression.

Katara crossed the distance between them and pointed a finger in his blue face. "I'm not leaving. I'm here to rescue someone as well. So either we work together or you can join those soldiers in the ocean. What's it gonna be?"

For a split second, Zuko saw something familiar in those big, blue eyes of hers and a crazy thought crossed his mind. No, it couldn't be. There were plenty of other waterbenders in the world. The furious one he had the misfortune of knowing wasn't the only one, so it couldn't be her. Could it? "Fine. We'll work together, but you better not slow me down."

A playful smile crossed her painted lips and again Zuko was taken aback with the familiarity of it. "Don't worry. If anyone is gonna have a hard time keeping up, it will be you, firebender."

The inflection of her term for him was just like – "Well, are you coming?" The young woman was already climbing up the side of the ship. Zuko shook his head to dispel the impossible conclusion and raced after her.

When they reached the top, Katara peered over the side and then looked down at the masked man below her. "There are seven guards," she whispered.

"Then what are you waiting for? We can take them," he instructed as he moved up beside her.

Zuko was about to leap over the railway when a gentle hand fell on his shoulder and held him in place. Looking in her eyes again, he opened his mouth to protest but she beat him to it. "It's better if we keep as quiet as possible. Once they know we're on board, the whole ship will be alerted."

"They've already been alerted!" he argued.

"Not completely. We can still sneak past them," she countered.

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

Katara sighed and glanced back down at the ocean. Her eyes suddenly lit up and she looked over at her masked companion once more. "I have an idea."

Breathing in the power from the crescent moon, Katara summoned the water beneath her. With one flick of her wrist, the moisture shot up and covered the vessel in a thick blanket of fog. Zuko couldn't help but be impressed. She was not only a waterbender but a masterful one to boot.

"Where did all this come from?"

"I can't see."

"What just happened?"

While the soldiers mulled over the situation, Katara jumped over the railing and Zuko followed after her. Weaving between the confused men, she found her way to the cabin entrance. She tried the door but it was locked. "Great! Now what?" she whispered to the masked man.

It was a good thing she couldn't see his eyes for he was rolling them at her. Zuko found it rather amusing that his painted companion, although a master waterbender, was helpless when it came to opening a simple door. Pushing past her, he inspected the steel gate blocking their entrance into the ship. After a swift perusal, he stood back, unsheathed his swords, and sliced through the hinges. Popping the door out of its place, Zuko looked back at his partner and gestured for her to enter. Katara could tell he was silently laughing at her, but she ignored it and pushed past him, entering the ship.

Katara started to walk down the hallway, but the masked man caught up to her and pulled her back. "I think it's best if you let me lead. I know these ships."

The young woman turned to face her secretive cohort and asked him point-blank, "So you've been on one before then, huh, firebender?"

But Zuko wasn't concerned with her question. It was that term she kept calling him by. He hated being referred to as just a firebender. Katara did the same thing, and every time she called him that, it was if she was heaping him together with all the dreadful people who started the war. It drove him crazy. And if that woman kept labeling him like that, he'd never be able to get along with her. In a heated whisper, Zuko scolded her. "Would you stop calling me that!? I have a name, you know."

"Oh, really," Katara answered teasingly, taking a step closer to him. "Then what is it?"

Right. Like he was going to tell her his _actual_ name. He didn't even know who she was let alone if he could fully trust her with that information. So he simply replied, "Don't you know who I am?"

Katara took a step closer to him, her gaze focused on the holes of his mask where his eyes were hidden in shadow. "Well, don't you know who _I am_?"

Her closeness was making him uneasy, but he stood his ground. "I take it you haven't seen the wanted posters."

"And I take it you haven't heard of my heroic rescue of an entire Fire Nation village," Katara snapped back.

They stared each other down, neither one speaking a word in response, until the noise of shifting feet reached their ears and Zuko directed, "Follow me. I know where the prisoners are kept."

Before Katara knew what was happening, his hand had grabbed onto hers and tugged her along behind him. She would have protested at any other interval, but surprisingly she didn't. It might have been the danger they faced or the urgency in his voice, but Katara knew neither one was the real reason. Even though his hand was gloved, she could feel the warmth emanating from it and she found she rather liked it. Katara knew that the man beside her was a firebender, but that didn't seem to matter to her. After all, he wasn't on the ship to torture prisoners. He was there to free them. Therefore, the logical conclusion was that he was fighting against the war not for it, and that was definitely a quality to be admired especially since it was found in a citizen of the Fire Nation.

Katara shook her head at her own misguided thoughts. What was she thinking? They'd only met a few minutes ago and already she was _fond_ of him? What was wrong with her? How could she even be thinking about such things at a time like this? It was crazy! But try as she might to ignore it, she had to admit that there was something in his demeanor that drew her to him. She couldn't quite pin it down. Who was this man? She suddenly wanted to know. "You never answered my question."

"What question?" he whispered back to her as they wound their way farther down into the ship.

"The first one that I asked you."

Zuko stopped in the middle of a darkened hallway, dropped her hand, and looked down into her alluring sapphire eyes. "You really don't know who I am?"

Staring up at his blue mask, Katara stroked her chin in thought. "No, but if I had to guess, I'd say you were some sort of blue spirit or something."

Not that she could see it, but Zuko smiled at her comment and replied, "You guessed it. I'm the Blue Spirit."

The waterbender smiled up at him and Zuko rather liked the way it made her eyes sparkle. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Blue Spirit. I'm the Paint—"

"The Painted Lady. I know."

Katara's smile disappeared and a puzzled expression took its place. "How did you know?"

Zuko grabbed her hand again and continued to drag her along with him as he explained. "Well, one, you're in our folklore. Two, I _did_ hear about the village that you overtook. And, three, you're a girl with red paint on your face. It wasn't hard to figure out who you were." Zuko glanced down at her as he added, "But I must say that I was a bit surprised to find out that you're a waterbender, a _master_ waterbender, in fact. How long have you been hiding in the Fire Nation?"

Katara didn't know how to answer. Should she lie or tell the truth? But the Blue Spirit answered for her before she even had the chance to form a response. "You don't have to tell me. I understand the need to hide your identity. I've been doing it for years in more ways than one. After all, a mask isn't the only way to hide who you really are. There are other ways."

The sadness in his voice took her off guard. He almost sounded ashamed, and Katara could only conclude that he was referring to his cultural heritage. As a part of the Fire Nation, everyone expected them to be evil and sinister, but the man that guided her through the ship's hull was anything but evil. He was good and kind, not at all like the firebender back at her camp.

The intrusive thought made Katara's eyes pop. What if…no, it couldn't be. The Blue Spirit was nothing like Zuko. He wasn't a hypocrite and a liar. He was on a selfless mission to rescue people, risking his own life for those who had been enslaved by the vile nation he had originated from. No, there was absolutely no possibility that the man beside her was Zuko for the banished prince wasn't even half the man that the Blue Spirit was. But looking up at her masked companion, Katara couldn't help but wonder if there was more to the Blue Spirit than met the eye.

Zuko wanted to kick himself. Why had he said that? She didn't know him, so why was he spilling his heart out to her? _A mask isn't the only way to hide who you really are._ Where had that come from? Wherever it had come from didn't matter. What mattered was that it was spoken in truth. Zuko had worn a mask for years, hiding his true feelings and desires behind a façade of duty and honor. But the mask was no more. He had realized his greater destiny and had set out on the path to find it.

Joining the Avatar had been one of the best decisions he'd made in a long time, but it hadn't completely pulled the mask from his face. He still wore it on occasion, well, on one occasion in particular. In the presence of the waterbender who he'd betrayed, he reasoned that it was best to hide his true feelings. But it wasn't at all what he wanted. He longed for her forgiveness, her acceptance, even her friendship. He missed the bond they had shared behind the walls of Ba Sing Se, but he wasn't about to admit that to her. No, it was best to leave the mask on. At least for now.

As Zuko turned the last corner leading down into the brig, he let go of the Painted Lady's hand and drew his swords. "There are sure to be several guards, so be ready."

Katara nodded her head in response and then pulled the water from her pouch. While following in step with every footfall, the two masked figures crept down the hallway and toward the prison hold. When at last Zuko stood before the door leading into the holding cells, he signaled for Katara to take up the position opposite of him and she quickly obeyed. With one kick of his foot, the door flung open and the guards bolted out of their seats.

The fight happened in a flurry of fire and water. Zuko leapt toward the first guard to advance and knocked him to the ground while Katara went after the second and third with her water whips. A fourth and a fifth were fast to join in the battle, and after Katara had taken down the pair that had initially surrounded her, she focused on the next two. The Blue Spirit was at her side as the last of the soldiers advanced, and in a similar blast of fire and water, they sent the guards crashing into the wall behind them.

"Hurry. We don't have much time," Zuko said as he turned and slashed at the first holding cell. Katara was quick to follow his example and began breaking the lock of the next cell with her ice bending. There were six prisoners, including the young woman that both Zuko and Katara were really there to rescue, and it didn't take long to free them. After Zuko slashed at the fifth lock, he looked over his shoulder at the sprawled out guards who were beginning to wake up. Glancing back at Katara, he exclaimed, "Quick! The guards are coming to! We've got to get them out of here!"

Katara hurriedly froze the last lock in front of her, water whipped it into a million pieces, and flung open the door. Putting her hand out to the young woman who had been wrongfully accused of thievery, she commanded in a gentle tone, "Come with me. We'll get you out of here and back to your father."

The girl stared back at the veiled woman with a sparkle of wonder and awe in her green eyes. "You're the Painted La—"

"Yes, I am. Now we don't have much time. We have to get you of here!" Grabbing the girl's hand, Katara dragged her out of the cell and then followed the Blue Spirit and the other prisoners out of the brig.

"Who are you?" an older gentleman asked in the Blue Spirit's direction as soon as they turned the corner.

Zuko didn't even react and Katara took it upon herself to answer for him. "We're here to rescue you. That's all you need to know."

The old man glanced over his shoulder at the shrouded figure behind him. He looked as if he wanted to ask her for an explanation, but he kept his mouth shut and turned his attention back on their blue-masked leader.

After gaining access to the second floor of the ship, the sirens rang out around them.

"Oh, no. We're going to get captured again."

"I don't want to go to the Fire Nation."

"I have to get home to my father."

Zuko faced the prisoners and put a finger to his masked lips. "Be quiet. We're not going to get caught. We'll get you out of here." His focus turned to his partner. "Painted Lady, I need your help."

Katara glided past the prisoners and came to stand beside her companion. "What is it?"

"We're almost to the top. Can you provide cover for us while I help them off the deck?" Zuko whispered in her ear, wary of the audience behind him.

"How are you going to do that? They can't climb down the side of the ship," she countered in a hushed tone.

"Just trust me." Zuko stared deeply into her veiled eyes and almost wished that she could see his. Maybe then she _would_ trust him, but then again maybe not. He was, after all, the prince of the Fire Nation. Would she reject him as Katara did or accept him as the changed man that he was? Zuko waited for her reply, but when it appeared as if she wasn't going to answer, he raised the question, "You do trust me, don't you?"

"For the moment, yes," Katara answered honestly.

That was good enough for him. "Then give us some cover and I'll take care of the rest." Zuko turned to advance down the hallway but abruptly glanced back at her and suggested, "Maybe you could do some of that Painted Lady spirit stuff you did in that other village. Give them something to fear."

A wicked grin crossed Katara's face. "Anything you say, Blue."

He smiled back at her, again not that she could see it, and then continued down the hallway until they came to the entrance into the ship. The door was still propped open and some of the fog even remained in the air. But they needed more. Zuko looked back at the prisoners and then focused his attention on Katara. "Are you ready?"

In answer to his question, Katara stepped up beside him, gave him a reassuring nod, and moved out onto the deck. Some of the guards spotted her, but she ignored their advancement and summoned the water beneath the ship. As she shot her arms up above her head, the moisture filled the air and once more blanketed the vessel in a thick fog. She could hear Zuko behind her as he guided the prisoners through the haze and toward the front of the ship.

"There she is!" In one fluid motion, Katara bent the moisture in the air into several ice picks and sent them hurling toward her spotter. The spikes ran through the fabric of his clothes and pinned him to the ground. But being a firebender, he melted them with ease and rose to his feet to face her again. Katara quickly bent more water from the ocean and filled the space between them with a vapor so thick that he had no chance of seeing her.

Moving like the gentle sway of the ocean, Katara maneuvered through the fog with grace. She came across several guards on the deck, but she easily threw them off of the boat and into the ocean. As she advanced on the bow of the ship, she could hear more guards spilling out onto the deck behind her and an idea flickered in her mind. _Give them something to fear_, he'd said. Well then, she'd give them something to fear alright.

Breathing in the power from the crescent moon, Katara used all her strength to summon a huge wave of water onto the deck. Forming it into a circling wave around her feet, she rose with the tide and then blew the mist aside where the soldiers advanced. The guards immediately halted when they saw her ghost-like figure hovering over them.

"Who is that?" one of the soldiers fearfully asked as he pointed up at her.

In a voice that rang out across the deck, Katara roared, "I'm the Painted Lady."

"The Painted Lady?" the same trembling guard wondered aloud.

An older soldier standing in front of the group turned toward the young man and informed him, "Haven't you heard of her? She destroyed an entire Fire Nation factory and now she's come after us."

Katara ignored their musings and lifted herself higher above them, circling the vapor around her form. "If you do not leave this harbor immediately, I will destroy your ships."

"But we can't leave yet. We need more supplies," the old man opposed her, hesitantly taking a step closer.

Fire suddenly erupted from behind Katara and her eyes popped open in shock. Her first instinct was to defend herself against the flames but she quickly realized that the fire blew out around her not at her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that it was not an attack but rather the Blue Spirit. With a quick nod of thanks in his direction, she turned her attention back on the cowering men before her.

But before she could open her mouth, Katara heard one of them say, "She commands both water and fire!"

A menacing smile crossed her lips and she reiterated her command in the same bellowing voice, "Leave this village and never return!" Then Katara lifted herself higher above them, and in the light of the moon, her face took on an unholy glow that made the men shudder in fear. With as much malice as she could muster gleaming in her shadow-covered eyes, she stared down at them and repeated her threat. "Or I will destroy your ships and everyone on them!"

Without waiting for an answer, Katara bent the moisture in the air into a swirling vortex of fog, surrounding herself with the circling shadows. In a flash of water and fire, she vanished from their sight and they stared after her in awe.

"General Zang, the prisoners have escaped!" one of the men exclaimed as he came out on to the deck.

The general looked back at the prison guard and simply stated, "We're leaving."

"But the prisoners, sir."

"Forget about them! We're leaving. Right now!" General Zang walked past his trembling men and down into the ship, gripping the fabric over his racing heart as he fled from their sight.

Once Katara's feet hit the deck, Zuko snatched up her hand and whispered in her ear, "Good job," as he pulled her along toward the front of the ship. When they hit the bow, Katara looked back at him in confusion, but Zuko simply wrapped his arm around her waist, told her, "Hold on to me," and then jumped off the ship. Katara was about ready to scream, but she didn't even have time to open her mouth before her feet were on solid ground. It all happened so fast, but it was apparent from the amber glow that the Blue Spirit had produced flames from his feet to slow their descent. Thankfully, it had worked, but Katara never wanted to do that again.

"Is that how you got all of them down?" she was quick to ask once he released her and they started to run toward the shadows of the village.

"No." As soon as they made it to one of the alleyways, Zuko turned around a corner and pressed himself up against the wall of one of the houses, taking a moment to catch his breath. Katara mimicked his movement, leaning into the wall next to him, and tried to slow her breathing as well. After his heart rate evened out, the Blue Spirit looked down at the Painted Lady and could see by her expression that she was waiting for a longer explanation. He easily gave it to her. "I tied a rope to the bow of the ship and had them all climb down it. Don't worry. They're safe."

Katara wrinkled her brow. "Then why didn't we climb down as well? That would have been a lot easier than scaring me to death."

A teasing grin appeared on Zuko's covered mouth. "Oh, so I scared you, huh?"

Katara huffed, pushed off the wall, and began strolling along the darkened street.

Zuko quickly caught up to her and explained, "It was easier and faster. We had to get off the ship before they spotted either one of us or—" the sound of moving ships reached their ears and Zuko finished "—before they left."

Katara couldn't argue with him there. "Fine." Poking him in the chest, she pushed him back as she scolded, "But don't ever. Do that. Again."

Zuko's only response was a hidden smile.

"Miss Painted Lady?" a timid voice reached Katara's ears. Turning toward the sound, she saw the six prisoners standing before her. The young girl Katara had been inclined to save that night stepped forward. "I just wanted to thank you for what you did. We all would."

The group each said their "thank you" and nodded in agreement with the girl. "Well, you're welcome," Katara graciously bowed to them.

"And I'd like to say thank you to you as well, Blue Spirit. We never would have escaped without you. Either of you."

Zuko bowed in response to the woman's praise as the group broke out once more in resounding thanks.

"So they've finally left our shores?" the elderly man directed to Katara.

She replied in kind, "It would seem so."

"Then we have much to thank you for besides our rescue. Our families are safe again," the old man sighed.

Katara wondered at the old man's reply and asked, "Tell me, why did they imprison all of you?"

The young girl looked up at the Painted Lady in confusion. "Isn't it obvious?" Glancing around at the other five, she explained, "We're all earthbenders. They've been imprisoning as many of us as they can find."

"But that no longer matters," the old man interjected. "We're free now. Thanks to the two of you. And on top of that, you've scared them off. There will be much joy and celebration in our village tomorrow upon seeing their absence."

Both Zuko and Katara smiled at the thought as the group of prisoners dissipated and went their separate ways. But before the young woman could leave, Katara called out to her and asked if she would take her to her father. "I might be able to heal him."

The smile that lit up the girl's face was more than Katara could have ever wished for. "That would be wonderful! I'll take you there right now."

The girl started down the street and Katara began to follow after her, but then she heard a deep voice echo her name and she turned instead toward her companion. Although she could not see his eyes, she knew exactly what he was going to say. "It's time for me to leave."

A sigh escaped her crimson lips. "I know." Katara stared up into the covered eyes of the firebender who had become her unexpected friend and a forlorn expression spread across her painted face. "When will I see you again?"

Neither one of them had thought it possible, but somehow a bond had formed between the Blue Spirit and his veiled companion. Zuko hadn't felt this way since Ba Sing Se, but he remembered the feeling well. It brought him great sadness to know that he had to once again turn his back on it, but it had to be done. The prospect of revealing himself was too risky. Therefore, the mask would remain. The bond would be severed. And they would both move on. For now.

Lifting his hand, Zuko placed it upon her cheek, the folds of her silk shroud molding to his gentle touch. "Don't worry, waterbender. We'll see each other again."

Katara leaned into the warmth of his hand, and a tear escaped from her eye, flowing freely down her painted cheek. She would miss him. Much to her surprise, she had grown rather fond of the masked firebender and wished that somehow he could come with her. She knew the answer before the question even formed in her mind. He would decline if she asked him to join their gang. She was sure of it. The Blue Spirit was a free man. She could sense that fire of independence in him. And so he would remain that way though it broke her heart to say goodbye.

Once the Blue Spirit dropped his hand from her cheek, the Painted Lady found her words. "I just want you to know something." Without warning, Katara flung her arms around his neck and held him in a tight embrace. At first Zuko was shocked at the hug, but slowly his own arms wound their way around her waist and pulled her closer to him. In a cracked whisper, Katara voiced her admiration. "You may be a firebender but you're nothing like the rest of the Fire Nation. Don't ever forget that. You're a man with a much greater destiny and I know you'll continue along that path." Pulling back from the hug, Katara looked up into the eyes of the blue mask. "And I hope someday to join you once more along that path."

"You will." Zuko once again put his hand to her cheek, relishing in the feel of her cool skin under his warm touch. "We're on the same side, fighting against the same war. We're bound to run into each other again. But when we do…" a teasing smile crossed Zuko's lips even though he knew she couldn't see it, "try not to attack me."

A chuckle escaped Katara's mouth. "I won't. But I can't promise that I won't hug you."

The Blue Spirit mimicked her chuckle, and for a split second, Katara was reminded of that afternoon when Zuko had laughed for the first time. But when her masked partner opened his mouth in reply, she pushed the memory aside and focused on the moment at hand. "A hug would be fine as long as you don't throw me in the ocean."

With a teasing smile on her face, Katara replied, "Don't worry, Blue. You're safe with me." Her companion laughed again and Katara suddenly felt uneasy about the sound. The pieces were beginning to fit together and his identity was coming into focus. But he couldn't be. It was impossible. But still the image of the firebender back at camp clouded her vision and made her wonder.

"Painted Lady?"

The voice of the young prison girl invaded her thoughts and Katara turned to her as the Blue Spirit relinquished his hold around her waist. "I'm coming. I was just saying goodbye to the—" But when she turned around, the masked man was gone. Then it was truly over. She would never see him again. Katara closed her eyes, holding back the tears.

"Lady? Are you coming?"

Turning her attention back to the task at hand, Katara pushed all thought of the Blue Spirit from her mind and followed after the hopeful earthbender. Though she wanted to believe him, she doubted she would ever behold that blue mask again or feel the gentle touch of his hand upon her face.

///A\\\

Zuko untied the mask and dropped it onto his sleeping mat. He looked down at it with regret. _Why didn't you just tell her?_ It was mocking him, telling him that he'd made a mistake in leaving. _You'll never see her again._ Kicking the mask into the corner of his tent, Zuko threw his belongings on top of it and stepped out into the night air. _No. I will see her again. I will_, he spoke the promise to himself. Sitting cross-legged before the campfire, Zuko breathed in the energy that the flames emitted. He tried to silence the jumble of thoughts in his head, but they wouldn't listen.

_When will I see you again?_

Inhale. Exhale.

_We're on the same side, fighting against the same war. We're bound to run into each other again._

Rise. Fall.

_You may be a firebender but you're nothing like the rest of the Fire Nation. You're a man with a much greater destiny and I know you'll continue along that path._

Breathe in. Breathe out.

_And I hope someday to join you once more along that path._

The flames of the campfire suddenly exploded into the air as his anger hit its boiling point. What had he done? He'd destroyed all hope of ever seeing her again. He didn't even know her real name and she didn't know his. How would they ever find one another? All he knew was that she was a waterbender. He hadn't even discovered which tribe she was from let alone if she'd even been raised in one. As the flames subsided, Zuko put his head into his hands. It was hopeless. He would never see her again. Never.

"Zuko?"

His sigh came out more like a disgruntled huff. Would she ever leave him alone? All he wanted was one moment of peace but here she was again, ready to make his life a living hell. As if it wasn't already. He'd just lost another woman that he'd unexpectedly bonded with, another wonderfully amazing woman. At least he hadn't betrayed her this time. _No, but you left her just as you did before. _The voice spoke before he could turn it off and the flames rose a little higher.

"Is something wrong?"

Breathe in. Breathe out. "No, I'm fine. I couldn't sleep is all."

To his amazement, Katara stepped closer to the fire and actually sat across from him. "Yeah, neither could I."

Was that sorrow he heard behind with her words? What could possibly be wrong with her? Did he accidentally wake her up? But she didn't appear to be angry with him. Instead she had this far-off look in her eyes like something else was occupying her mind. Before he could stop himself, the question fell forth from his mouth. "What's wrong?"

Katara sighed and brought her knees up to her chin, wrapping her arms around them. "Nothing."

Zuko knew enough about women to know that it was never nothing. "Something's wrong."

Anger suddenly spilled out of her. "Then why don't you just tell me what it is, firebender."

Firebender. There was that term again. With a huff that sent the fire billowing higher into the night sky, Zuko closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on his meditation. But his thoughts immediately turned to the Painted Lady. He could still see her eyes, smell the ocean in her hair, and hear the sound of her voice. _Firebender._ Zuko's heart stopped. Her voice. It sounded just like…no, it was impossible.

Zuko forced his mind to think on the skill of her bending instead. She had truly been amazing. Every movement was so fluid and precise and masterful. Without warning, the memory of Katara's graceful bending invaded his thoughts but Zuko forced it aside once more, turning his attention to the crystal blue eyes of his mystery companion. But just as quickly as the previous thought had entered his mind, a picture of Katara's beautiful, blue eyes flashed before his vision. He tried to force it out of his head, but it wouldn't leave. _No!_ he yelled at the intrusive thoughts. _It's impossible! The Painted Lady is some other waterbender!_ But the startling notion continued to haunt him.

_Don't worry, waterbender. We'll see each other again._ Katara sighed at the memory of his words. It didn't matter that she'd been able to heal the girl's father or that she'd rescued her from that prison. All that mattered now was that she would never see him again. He had disappeared from her life just as Zuko had under the streets of Ba Sing Se. _You laughed. I've never heard you laugh._ The uneasy feeling returned to her stomach and Katara pulled her knees in tighter to her chest. So what if the Blue Spirit's laugh sounded like Zuko's. That didn't prove anything. He didn't sound like Zuko, didn't look like Zuko, didn't…but all too quickly Katara couldn't think of any more reasons. What if Zuko…?

Katara abruptly looked up and her gaze centered on the firebender seated across from her. He appeared to be meditating but the slow rising flame and the wrinkle of his brow said otherwise. He was obviously trying to meditate but it didn't look like he was succeeding. Something was weighing heavily on his mind and Katara could see it in the hard lines of his face. But what could he possibly be thinking of that was making him angry? A disquieting notion entered her thoughts. What if he wasn't angry? What if he was sad? For Zuko, anger and sadness were portrayed in about the same way, so it was hard to tell which was which. But Katara thought she knew.

Burying her face in her knees, Katara tried to push the thoughts away. _No! It's not possible. The Blue Spirit is nothing like Zuko._ But try as she might to think of a way in which the Blue Spirit didn't fit Zuko, she couldn't find one. They were both firebenders. Both had the same laugh and even a hint of the same voice. And then there were the Dao swords. Zuko had a pair just like the Blue Spirit's. _But so do other people_, Katara reasoned. The voice of her unexpected friend answered in turn, _A mask isn't the only way to hide who you really are. There are other ways._ Katara's eyes popped. _No, it's impossible! The Blue Spirit is some other firebender!_ But the voices would not stop, the memories would not disappear, and the unbelievable conclusion would not change no matter how much she wanted it to.

_No! Katara is not the Painted Lady! _Zuko's thoughts echoed within him.

Katara's mind resounded in kind. _It's impossible! Zuko is not the Blue Spirit!_

But suddenly the world slowed around them as the truth of their shared memory rapidly pieced itself together in their minds and came into focus within their hearts. In the space of a single breath, their gaze locked across the blazing fire and they saw the same spark of wonder mirrored in each other's eyes. With the masks discarded, their identities were revealed, and the Blue Spirit and the Painted Lady stared into the eyes of their unexpected friend, a friend who had been there all along.

_

* * *

_

**_SEQUEL ANYONE??? I can't decide whether to continue this now or later. I mean, I could add more to it at the end, or I could continue it in another LETTER. What do you think? Does it need more?_**

_Phew. This is by far the longest piece I've written for this series, not to mention the longest piece I've ever written. Over 11,000 words!!! Can you say WOW!? LOL._

_Just like HEALING, this bad boy took me three days to complete but not because it was hard. It was just long. Actually, the story flowed out of me pretty easily once I got started. Oh, and the only thing in my mind when I started this piece was that I wanted Zuko and Katara to go to a village together, see somebody get captured but they couldn't intervene because they'd blow their cover, and then later that night meet up together as the Painted Lady and the Blue Spirit. That's all I knew. The rest of it was totally on the spot. The jokes, the conversations, Katara's wicked spirit moves, everything! That just goes to prove (**AnnaAza**) that once you start, the characters will finish the story for you. So what are you waiting for, girl? *inside joke*_

_Well, I gotta say that I absolutely love this story. The banter between Zuko and Katara at the beginning is just hilarious and I love the joke that he plays on her. Don't freak out! Katara was simply wearing what she always wears when she's waterbending so it was really no big deal. It was just a cute, embarrassing moment. =D Anyway, I loved their banter, even when they were the Blue Spirit and the Painted Lady. It was too cute! And the whole "leave this village and never come back" stuff was just awesome! Yeah for Katara! Oh, and I loved Zuko's landing that scared Katara half to death. Hehe. Too funny._

_As for the ending, well, I was originally going to leave it totally wide open and make you wonder if they ever figured it out, but, come on, they had to figure it out! I mean, it was right there in front of them! It was only a matter of time. They're both very smart and I bet one look at each other would be enough to get the gears spinning in their heads. And it did! So there you have it. They figured it out! **But, seriously, do you want a SEQUEL?**_

_What more can I say? It was fantastic and I'm so proud of this story! I still say that GONE was my best written one, but IDENTITY holds the medal for being the most adventurous and the most fun to write and read. At least, that's how I look at it. But what do you think?_

**_REVIEW PLEASE!!!_**

_AVidZktjo_

_*****The Letter J stands for JUDGMENT and will be another serious moment in the life of Zutara, plus I'm betting that it will be insanely long, so bear with me. And also, in order to make this easy, I put up a poll on my profile page. If you want a sequel to IDENTITY, you gotta let me know. So see my POLL, place your VOTE, and have a great day!*****_


	10. Judgment

**The ABCs of Zutara: JUDGMENT**

_Written by Katie Jo aka AVidZktjo_

**JUDGMENT (1) – UH-UH. NO WAY!**

_**/-\ Zuko's POV \-/**_

The moment of truth had finally come. _You can do this_, I told myself as I fidgeted with my hands. Ugh, why was I so nervous? I'd had worse confrontations than this, so what was the big deal? Facing my father had been one of the hardest things I'd ever done in my life, but it suddenly paled in comparison to the judgment I would surely face that afternoon. I just couldn't seem to shake the feeling of anxiety. I knew what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it, so there was nothing to fear. But as the flying bison came crashing down in front of me and four pairs of feet landed on the ground, I lost all train of thought. With one word from the earthbender, they all turned to face me and the ridiculous greeting that I had rehearsed only moments ago fell forth from my mouth. "Hello. Zuko here." Why did I say that?

I didn't have time to ponder my stupidity though. In a flash, they crouched down into their fighting stances, ready for our age-old battle. And without a thought to my words, I said the first thing that came to mind. "Hey. I heard you guys flying around down there so…I just thought I'd wait for you here." What was wrong with me? I was messing this up already.

But before I could say another word, the bison stepped up beside me and his loud roar threatened to blow me away. I lifted my arms up to cover my face from the onslaught of his attack but the most unexpected thing happened. His massive tongue stretched out and ran up my back. Already I could feel his slobber soaking through my clothes. Ugh. I stood up straighter after his tongue had done its damage, but the bison wasn't finished with me yet. I inwardly winced as his tongue licked the side of my face, leaving a trail of saliva in its wake.

Well, at least I could find comfort in the fact that he was not going to crush me to death the way he had almost done when I set him free. Under Lake Laogai the bison had taken off the minute he was rid of his chains but not before he'd knocked me to the ground and roared in my face. Back then it had felt like he was threatening me. Now it felt like he was thanking me. As I wiped the drool from my face, I was happy to realize that I had _one_ friend among their gang. Well, two…but she didn't look too happy to see me.

With the last of the bison's drool wiped off my face, I attempted to explain myself once more. "I know you must be surprised to see me here."

The young Water Tribe warrior – he was the waterbender's brother, right? – was quick to answer, "Not really, since you've followed us all over the world."

"Right...well, uh..." Of course they wouldn't be surprised. What was I thinking? Like the warrior had said, I chased them all over the world, which was probably something I should've apologized for. But I didn't. Instead I just kept rambling on, having no idea what I was really trying to say. "Anyway, what I wanted to tell you about is that I've changed, and I, uh, I'm good now. And, well, I think I should join your group." Right. Like that was going to convince them. "Oh!" But I did have one thing to bring to the table at least. "And I can teach firebending...to you." Yeah. That sounded _real_ convincing. The waterbender stared across at me with surprise in her eyes and I knew I had lost them. What was I trying to say? I had the words before. I opened my mouth again. "See, I uh..."

"You wanna what now?" the earthbender was the first to ask.

The waterbender's gaze suddenly turned lethal and her words brought me back to Ba Sing Se. "You can't possibly think that any of us would trust you, can you? I mean, how stupid do you think we are?" _I thought you had changed._ The memory echoed throughout my mind and I cringed. Winning her over was going to be harder than I thought.

Her brother was speaking again. "Yeah, all you've ever done is try to hunt us down and capture Aang."

"I've done some good things," I immediately defended myself. Well, one good thing at least. "I mean, I could've stolen your bison in Ba Sing Se, but I set him free. That's something." The bison's slobbery tongue trailed up my back again and I shuddered.

"Appa does seem to like him," the small girl in green pointed out. Maybe I was beginning to convince them.

But the Water Tribe warrior retaliated, "He probably just covered himself in honey or something so that Appa would lick him. I'm not buying it."

Back to square one. "I can understand why you wouldn't trust me and I know I've made some mistakes in the past." Now I was finally getting somewhere.

But that peasant interrupted again. "Like when you attacked our village?"

And then his sister was quick to add. "Or when you stole my mother's necklace and used it to track us down and capture us?" Her eyes were filled with such rage and anger as she threw that accusation in my face. There had to be some way to make it up to them, to make it up to _her_.

"Look…I admit I've done some awful things." Placing my hand over my forehead, I closed my eyes. How could I apologize for a lifetime of wrongs? Words didn't seem enough, but I had to try. "I was wrong to try to capture you and I'm sorry that I attacked the Water Tribe. And I never should've sent that Fire Nation assassin after you. I'm gonna try to stop—"

"Wait! _You_ sent Combustion Man after us!?"

Combustion Man? "Well, that's not his name, but—"

"Oh, _sorry_. I didn't mean to insult your friend."

That Water Tribe peasant was really starting to get on my nerves. "He's not my friend!"

"That guy locked me and Katara in jail and tried to blow us all up!" the young earthbender added in a huff.

I sighed. What more could I say? All of them had clearly spelled out my verdict. Except for one. I turned my attention to the Avatar and tried to appeal to him. "Why aren't you saying anything? You once said you thought we could be friends. You know I have good in me."

I held my breath as the Avatar considered my plea. In his eyes I saw that my words had struck the right chord. He remembered as well as I did the day the Blue Spirit rescued him and the day we both imagined an unlikely friendship between us. Maybe there was hope after all. But as the Avatar looked over at the shaking head of the Water Tribe warrior, I knew my fate was sealed.

The gray eyes of the last airbender locked onto mine and my heart plummeted. "There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done. We'll _never_ let you join us."

I wrinkled my brow in frustration and looked away. "You need to get out of here. _Now_." The waterbender's words brushed past my ears as rage burned up inside of me. Throwing my arms up in the air, I took a step closer to them and desperately attempted to change their minds. "I'm trying to explain that I'm not that person anymore!"

But the water peasant pulled out his boomerang and stepped forward with a threat. "Either you leave or we attack."

A fight was not the way to solve this. If I threw even a single blow, all would be lost. Taking a step back, an insane idea entered my mind but I went with it. "If you won't accept me as a friend…" I knelt before them and held up my arms in surrender, "…then maybe you'll take me as a prisoner."

"No! We won't!"

A wave of water crashed into my chest and sent me flying back into the dirt. As I turned around to face the group, the waterbender's words reached my ears and my judgment was clear. "Get out of here and don't come back! And if we ever see you again...well, we'd better not see you again!"

My head fell down to my chest in shame. It was no use. They weren't going to listen. So with a heavy heart, I picked myself up off the ground and walked away from the destiny I finally knew to be the right one.

_**~-~ Katara's POV ~-~**_

"I think that'll have to wait."

I turned in the direction of Toph's pointed finger and my eyes locked on to the one man I never wanted to see again.

"Hello. Zuko here," the firebender said as he waved his hand.

What kind of lame introduction was that? Like I didn't know who he was. Like _any of us_ didn't know who he was. Out of instinct, I crouched down into a fighting stance, ready to throw water in his face or, better yet, an ice dagger. Now that sounded like a great idea. Kill him on the spot. It was a most enticing prospect. Surely the gang wouldn't mind doing away with the deceptive mongrel. He deserved it after all. But my thoughts of vengeance were squashed the minute he opened his mouth.

"Hey. I heard you guys flying around down there so…I just thought I'd wait for you here."

Yeah. Wait to pounce on us, just like always. I could feel the water cascading into my hands and forming into an icicle while he attempted to greet us. I had never been a violent person, well, I'd never killed anyone at least. But at that moment, I wanted nothing more than to send an ice dagger straight through his heart. The world would be better off without the fire prince. _I_ would be better off.

But my thoughts were interrupted again, this time by a groundbreaking roar blowing forth from Appa's mouth and into Zuko's face. I smiled as the bison's snarl made the fire prince tremble. Go ahead, Appa. Eat him. Grind his bones with your teeth. End him right here and—what was Appa doing? Licking him? _Zuko_? My mouth fell open in shock and the ice evaporated. Appa's tongue ran up the side of Zuko's unmarred face in what looked like a friendly gesture. Had Appa gone crazy? This was Zuko! Not some popsicle stick!

After he'd wiped away Appa's drool, Zuko stated, "I know you must be surprised to see me here."

"Not really, since you've followed us all over the world," my brother was quick to counter.

Zuko's expression fell and I was beginning to wonder why he was really here. "Right...well, uh...anyway," he attempted again, "what I wanted to tell you about is that I've changed—" _Changed!?_ The past was suddenly replaying itself in my mind.

_I thought you had changed!_

_I have changed._

Changed!? That's what he wanted to tell us? That he had _changed_? Was he crazy? Did he honestly think that any of us would believe him, that _I_ would believe him? After everything he'd done? After the fall of the Earth Kingdom? After Aang had nearly died? After he'd _betrayed_ ME!?

I vaguely heard something about him wanting to join our group and I was again taken aback. He wanted to _join_ us? Did he think we were idiots or something? I would never, I mean, _we_ would never trust him. Ever!

Toph interrupted the firebender's slurs with a smart remark and then it was my turn. The words came flowing out of me in a wave of hatred and rage. "You can't possibly think that _any of us_ would _trust you_, can you? I mean, how _stupid_ do you think we are?"

Sokka was ready with another rebuttal. "Yeah, all you've ever done is try to hunt us down and capture Aang."

And then _he_ opened his mouth again. "I've done some good things. I mean, I could've stolen your bison in Ba Sing Se, but I set him free. That's something."

Appa, that traitor, licked the firebender again. What was wrong with that bison? But then a crazy notion entered my brain. Maybe Zuko was actually telling the truth? Had he set Appa free?

"Appa does seem to like him," Toph observed and I looked back at her in puzzlement.

Yes, it was obvious that Appa had some sort of fetish for the fire prince, but did it really matter? He was still Zuko, the same villain who had chased us down time and time again in an attempt to capture Aang. It could all be a trick.

Sokka thought so, too, and dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand. "He probably just covered himself in honey or something so that Appa would lick him. I'm not buying it."

Agreed.

"I can understand why you wouldn't trust me, and I know I've made some mistakes in the past."

_Some_? Try _several_!

"Like when you attacked our village?" my brother pointed out.

And I was quick to add, "Or when you stole my mother's necklace and used it to track us down and capture us?" To think that his filthy Fire Nation fingers had been all over my mom's necklace. Ugh. It made me shiver in disgust. I would never forgive him for that or for baiting me with it or for tying me to that tree or for…well, for anything!

"Look, I admit I've done some awful things." Again, _some_? I guess what my father had told me was true then. Evil doesn't know it's evil until it's too late. And for Zuko, it was definitely too late! "I was wrong to try to capture you." Was he talking about _me_ or Aang? It didn't matter. His attempt at asking for forgiveness was still pathetic. "And I'm sorry that I attacked the Water Tribe." Right. Sure he was. "And I never should've sent that Fire Nation assassin after you." WHAT!? My eyes bulged. So it was all _his_ fault! I should have known!

Before I could point a finger in his lying face, Sokka did it for me. "Wait! _You_ sent Combustion Man after us!?"

"Well, that's not his name, but—"

"Oh, _sorry_. I didn't mean to insult your friend." A smirk crossed my face. Sokka had always been a mastermind at comebacks. Normally I hated his irritating jests, but right then I loved him for it.

My brother's mockery seemed to hit its mark for Zuko blurted out "He's not my friend!" in an angry huff that only gave me more reason not to trust him.

And Toph was right behind my brother. "That guy locked me and Katara in jail and tried to blow us all up!"

I fully expected Zuko to retaliate with rage but he didn't. Instead his shoulders slumped as his gaze dropped to his feet. He almost looked…regretful? No. It couldn't be. It was a trick. Just like Ba Sing Se. He hadn't meant what he'd said then and he didn't mean it now. He was still the same lying, conniving backstabber who didn't know a single thing about real honor. He wasn't regretful. He wasn't different. He hadn't changed. And there was most definitely no good in him whatsoever.

Which is why, to my utter joy, Aang turned him down. "There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done. We'll _never_ let you join us."

"You need to get out of here. _Now_," I simply stated as my hand moved to my water pouch. My gaze was locked on the firebender as he cringed and my eyes dared him to try something. In fact, I _wanted_ him to try something. All I needed was one reason to strike him down. Just one.

As if on cue, he took several steps toward our group and I could feel my heartbeat quicken. "I'm trying to explain that I'm not that person anymore!"

I was ready to pounce, but Sokka stepped forward before I could. With his boomerang pointed at the fire prince, he threatened in an even voice, "Either you leave or we attack."

Zuko took a step back and his eyes roamed over the group. I could see it there amidst the amber glow. He knew that we would never trust him. He knew what he was asking was impossible. And he knew there was no hope of us ever accepting him. Then why did he kneel before us, giving himself up as a prisoner? I didn't take the time to ponder that thought. I just reacted.

In seconds, the firebender was flat on the ground, soaked through with water. Taking a step towards him, I added another threat to the list. "Get out of here and don't come back! And if we ever see you again..." His eyes stared up into mine and for a brief moment, I forgot what I was trying to say. He looked so sad, so forlorn. Glancing to the side, I picked up where I left off and finished the threat. "Well, we'd better not see you again!"

Zuko's eyes met with everyone's in turn but it was me that he saved for last. In the flames of amber light, I saw the same pain I'd seen in the crystal catacombs. He yearned for acceptance, for understanding, and for that unexpected friend to return. But he wasn't going to find it here. I dropped my eyes from his stare and he took the cue. Rising to his feet, he walked away. I lifted my eyes to his back as he disappeared from view and noticed that he didn't even burn the water off of him. He just let it sit there and soak through his clothes. What was wrong with him? I suddenly thought back to the look in his eyes as I threatened him. I'd never seen such sadness there. _I'm sorry. That's something we have in common._ Ugh. Yes, I had! It was like Ba Sing Se all over again! It was all just a trick. Nothing more. And yet…NO! There was no way I was going to fall for it again!

In a huff I stomped over to Appa and jumped up in his saddle. As I unloaded our supplies, I whispered for the bison's ears only, "What's wrong with you, buddy? Don't you know who that was? We can't trust him." But Appa's deep growl spoke otherwise. Stupid animal. What did he know?

Hopping down from the saddle, I picked up my sleeping mat and entered the temple. "Why would he try to fool us like that?" I voiced to the gang as they followed along behind me.

My brother instantly replied with the exact same answer I had formulated. "Obviously he wants to lead us into some kind of trap."

Yes, it was quite obvious. Another trap. Another lie. Only this time I wasn't going to fall for it. "This is just like when we were in prison together in Ba Sing Se. He starts talking about his mother and making it seem like he's an actual human being with feelings."

Again Sokka was quick on the uptake. "He wants you to trust him and feel sorry for him, so you let your guard down, then he strikes!"

He was right. That's exactly what happened. "The thing is…it worked. I did feel sorry for him. I felt like he was really confused and hurt. But obviously when the time came, he made his choice, and we paid the price." Glancing over at Aang, the vision of Azula's lightning striking him down came back to haunt my mind. I would never forget that moment and I would never forgive Zuko for joining with her. Looking away, I stated with conviction, "We can't trust him."

"I kinda have a confession to make." Aang, who had been silent this whole time, abruptly spoke up and we all turned in his direction. He had this look in his eye like something big was on his mind. What was it that Zuko had said earlier? _You know I have good in me._ How would Aang know that? Had I missed something? "Remember when you two were sick and I got captured by Zhao?"

"And you made us suck on frozen frogs? How could I forget? I had a wart on the flap that hangs down from the back of my throat for a month!" Sokka remarked in frustration as he threw down his mat and pointed at his open mouth.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Sokka, I looked at it and told you there was nothing there."

"I could feel it! It's _my_ throatal flap!"

I shook my head and Aang continued. "Anyway…when Zhao had me chained up, it was _Zuko_ who came in and got me out. He risked his life to save me."

I immediately stepped forward in retaliation. "No way! I'm sure he only did it so he could capture you himself."

"Yeah, face it, Aang. You're nothing but a big prize to him," my brother added.

Aang's gaze fell as he simply agreed, "You're probably right."

What was wrong with him? Of course we were right. Zuko couldn't be trusted. He'd never done a single good thing in his life! "And what was all that crazy stuff about setting Appa free? What a liar!"

"Actually, he wasn't lying." The calm statement that came from the mouth of the intuitive earthbender made me pause for thought. He _wasn't_ lying? No, he had to be.

But Sokka interrupted my musings with another smart remark. "Oh, hooray! In a lifetime of evil, at least he didn't add animal cruelty to the list."

The earthbender shrugged off the comment and explained, "I'm just saying that considering his messed-up family and how he was raised, he could've turned out a lot worse."

Oh, please. He already was _worse_! In the spirit of my brother, sarcasm dripped from my mouth. "You're right, Toph. Let's go find him and give him a medal, the not-as-much-of-a-jerk-as-you-could-have-been award."

Toph ignored my mockery. "All I know is that while he was talking to us, he was sincere. Maybe you're all just letting your hurt feelings keep you from thinking clearly," she clarified in a calm manner.

But I was not so calm. She had no idea what she was talking about, had no reason to think ill of him. But I did! "Easy for you to say! You weren't there when he had us attacked by pirates!"

"Or when he burned down Kyoshi Island!"

"Or when he tried to capture me at the Fire Temple!"

Sokka and Aang each took their turns in condemning the firebender and I couldn't agree more with their accusations. The fire prince didn't deserve a second chance. He didn't even deserve a _first _chance. All he deserved was our hatred and I had plenty of it to go around. In a rage, I lashed out at Toph, "Why would you even _try_ to defend him!?"

"Because, _Katara_," she bit back at me, "you're all ignoring one crucial fact!" The intimidating earthbender stepped up to Aang and poked a finger in his chest. "Aang needs a firebending teacher. We can't think of a _single_ person in the world to do the job. Now one shows up on a silver platter and _you won't even think about it_!?" she finished while pounding her feet into the ground.

For a split second, I considered her point. Aang did need a firebending teacher. But Zuko? The spawn of Firelord Ozai? And the firebender who had been chasing us down for months? My answer was simple. But it was not my choice to make. Glancing over at Aang, I awaited his decision.

With a solid conviction in his tone of voice, he replied, "I'm not having Zuko as my teacher."

"You're darn right you're not, buddy," Sokka approved.

Crossing my arms, I peered into Toph's gray green eyes and stated in agreement with the rest of the group, "Well, I guess that's settled."

"Ugh!" Toph huffed as she turned her back on us. "I'm beginning to wonder who's really the blind one around here." With a stomp to every footfall, the blind earthbender left us alone to wallow in our hurt feelings and angry thoughts.

No one spoke for the remainder of the night. We all went about our duties in silence. Sokka unpacked our supplies. Aang found rooms for us all. And I cooked dinner. Not that any of us were hungry. Even Sokka ate sparingly.

When Haru, Teo, and The Duke finally returned from their explorations, they could tell that something was up but they kept their mouths shut. Only The Duke asked what was wrong, and Aang was gracious enough to answer by simply telling the boy that we were all worried about finding him a firebending teacher. It didn't seem to satisfy the young lad, but he didn't ask any more questions at least. As for Toph, well, she had all but disappeared, not that any of us cared at the moment.

There was no banter that evening. No jokes. No laughs. No conversation at all, in fact. Just silence, a silence that everyone wanted to escape from. So after cleaning up dinner, I retired early to my room, just like the others, and closed the door behind me, wanting nothing more than to be alone.

Stepping over to the wide window, I peered out across the vast canyon, my mind deep in thought. _What I wanted to tell you about is that I've changed_, his deep voice seemed to echo throughout the gorge. Yeah. Sure he had. _I'm good now._ "Ugh. Shut up! I don't want to hear it!" I shouted out into the night as I hung my head in frustration. This was ridiculous. He hadn't changed and he was definitely _not_ good. He wasn't even close. He was the Firelord's son for spirit's sake! _I've changed._

"Ahhh!" I grunted as I turned from the window and crashed onto my bed. Burying my face in my pillow, I tried to drown out the memories but his voice refused to stay silent. _I used to think this scar marked me, the mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, I've realized I'm free to determine my own destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark._

What had I done? Why had I even listened to him? Why had I trusted him? And why was my heart still aching? As the tears soaked through my pillow, I realized the answer. I was still hurting. I still felt betrayed. And I still wished he had chosen differently. _I'm trying to explain that I'm not that person anymore._ What was he trying to say? That he had truly changed this time? That he was finally on the right path? Even in his stuttering state, I could tell that there was a change in him. Something different. A new purpose. A brighter fire. But even though he seemed to be on the right path now, I still shunned him. Well, what was I supposed to do? Accept him and let him trample all over my heart yet again? No! I wasn't going to stand around and take it. I wasn't!

But even though I was sure of the fact that I would never let myself be hurt by him again, the tears continued to roll and the ache in my chest wouldn't go away. I hated having these feelings and I hated him all the more because of them. It was all his fault. _Everything_ was his fault. My imprisonment in the crystal catacombs. The fall of the Earth Kingdom. Aang's demise. And…the breaking of my heart. But it didn't matter. I'd move on like I'd always moved on. Turning around to lie on my back, I wiped the tears from my face and stared up at the ceiling, a fresh conviction taking hold of me. This pain would pass. My heart would mend. And I _would_ move on. Only this time, I wouldn't be so kind about it.

**JUDGMENT (2) – OH, ALRIGHT. YOU'RE IN.**

_**/-\ Zuko's POV \-/**_

Her eyes had said it all. She hated me. They all did. And there was no changing their minds. As I trekked back to my camp, the water soaking through my robes went unnoticed. I didn't even watch where I was going and nearly went over the cliff more than once. All I could focus on was the stupid words that had unwittingly come out of my mouth. Ugh. What had been wrong with me? I had it all down before. But one look in her eyes and my whole speech had flown out the window. How could I apologize? How could I make it up to her? "_Them_. How could I make it up to _them_," I reminded myself aloud. This wasn't about _her_. This was about the Avatar and my father and the world. The waterbender didn't matter. But I would be lying if I said I was telling the truth.

Running my fingers through my sopping wet hair, the whole scene played out in my mind. What had gone wrong? _Hello. Zuko here._ Well, there had been that. _Anyway, what I wanted to tell you about is that I've changed, and I, uh, I'm good now._ And that._ If you won't accept me as a friend, maybe you'll take me as a prisoner._ Oh, and that! With a sigh, I dropped my hand back to my side and my shoulders slumped even further. What was I to do now? I had changed. I was ready to join them. And I wanted to fight against this war. Why couldn't they see that? _There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done._ Oh, right. That's why.

This was just like Ba Sing Se all over again, only this time, I didn't have the understanding waterbender on my side. All I had was the flying bison and the only thing he was good at was plastering my face with drool. It was hopeless. I would never convince them that I had changed. The waterbender would never forgive me. And, worse yet, I would never be able to speak to them again. That much was clear. The only thing that wasn't clear was why that badgerfrog was still in my camp. I thought I'd scared him away. At least, I should have scared him away because apparently, in light of the day's events, I was good at that.

"What are you still doing here?" I voiced as I passed him by and started a campfire.

Ribbit.

After I'd steamed the water off of me, successfully drying my clothes, I looked over at the badgerfrog and replied to his insistent croak. "Trust me, you don't wanna know."

As if in response to my statement, a deep grumble rose up from his stomach making his neck bulge and then contract. I narrowed my eyes at him. "You really wanna know?"

Ribbit-ribbit.

"Alright. But you asked for it." I began pacing in front of the log that the badgerfrog sat atop. "It was horrible. I completely forgot what I was gonna say so I said all the wrong things. And my introduction! Ah!" I stopped in front of the badgerfrog and mimicked myself, "_Hello. Zuko here_," and then continued. "I mean, what was that? Where did that come from? Okay, well, I know where that came from but I thought I was past all that. Apparently not. And then worse still, I stuttered. I never stutter. But I guess the new, _uh_, good me does." I mimicked myself again as I threw my hands up in the air.

"And, as I'm sure you could see, I came back soaked. It was all that waterbender's fault though I can't say I blame her. I deserved it. After all, as they clearly pointed out, I've made some terrible mistakes in the past." Just then my greatest blunder hit me and my voice grew louder and more agitated. "But that wasn't even the worst of it. I told them about that guy I hired to kill them. Ugh, I can't believe how stupid I am. I mean, what was I thinking? Telling them I sent an assassin after them? Why didn't I just say Azula did that? They would've believed that!" I yelled into the badgerfrog's face. Then I smacked myself in the forehead as I finished, "Stupid!"

Peering through my fingers, I eyed the badgerfrog, waiting for a response. It was like I was expecting him to actually say something. But when his ribbit reached my ears, I realized what I was doing and dropped to the ground in a defeated slump. Why was I talking to a stupid animal? He couldn't understand a word I was saying, and even if he could, what was the point? It wasn't like he was going to respond let alone be able to help me. No one could help me. I had made those mistakes all by myself and now I was paying for them. Attempting to join the Avatar was just another failure I could add to the list.

The badgerfrog swiftly jumped down from its log and settled in front of me. "What?" I asked him but he didn't respond. He just looked up at me with those big slimy eyes that seemed to pierce through to my soul. "What!?" I asked louder this time. He croaked out a stream of ribbits and then hopped off towards the Avatar's campsite. "I'm not going back!" I yelled after him, but it didn't cause him to falter. My eyes were locked onto the badgerfrog as he disappeared from view. Well, at least I had no more animals to talk to.

Chirp. Chirp.

"No! I'm done talking!" I directed toward the intrusive blue jay as I jumped to my feet. "And I'm leaving! There's nothing for me here. The Avatar doesn't need me. The waterbender hates me. And they'll never accept me. It's over!" I watched in amazement as the bird flew off in the same direction as the badgerfrog. Great. As if my life wasn't bad enough. Now I was going crazy.

It didn't matter. I was leaving and nothing was going to stop me. But as I walked over to my tent and started rolling up my sleeping mat, the words of assurance that I had so valiantly proclaimed in front of my father came back to haunt me. _But I've come to an even more important decision. I'm going to join the Avatar and I'm going to help him defeat you._ Reluctantly, I unfurled my mat. What was I doing? I couldn't leave. I had to stay.

A sigh escaped my mouth and I lay down on my sleeping bag. The waterbender would surely blast me again if I went anywhere near them. But I had to try. After a day or two, I would return to their camp. Hopefully by then their anger would've died down or at least decreased enough for them to hear me out. Either way, I had to go back. The Avatar needed me. Even if he didn't know it yet.

As I closed my eyes and tried to find the perfect sleeping position, my mind worked on the words I wanted to say. This time I was going to get it right. No fumbling around. No stuttering. And definitely no lame introductions. I would get right to the point and explain myself. All I needed was one more chance. I know I could make them see the change in me just as I'd made the waterbender see it in the crystal catacombs. Cringing, I rolled over in an attempt to find a more comfortable position. But nothing was comfortable. Not the ground. Not my thoughts. And not those livid blue eyes.

She had proclaimed that she would never trust me, never accept me, and never forgive me. But as I thought back to her final glance, I noticed something I hadn't seen before. There had been a sliver of hope in her eyes. However dim it may have been, it was still there. Regaining her trust would take time and it would no doubt be harder than joining the Avatar, but I _would_ win her back to my side, I _would_ make her see the change in me, and I _would_ rekindle our lost friendship. And nothing was going to stop me, not even her water blasts.

Before sleep could fully claim me, one final question swirled around in my head. Joining the Avatar and helping him defeat my father was the greatest task I could ever endeavor to complete. But in light of the fiery waterbender and my desire for our renewed friendship, it quickly paled in comparison and seemed to hold a lower status in my overall purpose in life. How could that be? I didn't have an answer. All I knew was that my dreams that night were invaded with eyes of clear blue water and memories of shimmering green crystals. And it was a dream I would not soon forget.

///A\\\

A faint rustling in the bushes later that night pulled me out of the sparkling cavern and back to reality. Lifting myself up from my sleeping bag, I looked over my shoulder. My eyes were in a haze as I heard the rustling again. Someone was here. "Who's there?" I didn't wait for a response. I just reacted with a flash of fire and a hasty warning. "Stay back!"

"It's me!" But it was too late. "Ow!" The flames did their damage and sent my midnight visitor crashing to the ground. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I sat up straighter and the unexpected visitor came into focus. It was the earthbender. "You burned my feet!" she accused me.

My eyes immediately locked on to her red soles and I saw the beginning of blisters. Oh, no. What had I done? "I'm sorry. It was a mistake," I tried to explain as I stood up and hastened towards her.

A rock flew at my face and I just barely dodged it. "Get away from me!" she demanded. Turning around on her hands and knees, she began to crawl away from my campsite.

While dodging her flying boulders, I chased after her. As soon as I was at her side, I offered, "Let me help you." A boulder whizzed past my left shoulder and I shirked away from it. "I'm sorry." Another rock flew past me on the right. This wasn't working. I had to make her listen. Putting a hand on her shoulder, I tried to make her turn around, but she retaliated with brute force.

"Get _off_ me! Get off me!"

Before I knew it, my chest was struck by hard earth and I was tossed up into the night sky. A second later, I came hurtling down into the dirt near my campfire. As I rose to face the fleeting image of the burned earthbender, I yelled back at her "I didn't know it was you!" and then clutched my side in pain. "Come back!" I attempted to gain her attention but she promptly disappeared from view and I was left to wallow in the misery of yet another mistake.

"Ugh!" Tossing my arms up into the air, I fell back into the dirt and screamed, "Why am I so bad at being good!?" Why couldn't I just get one thing right for once? Why did I have to ruin _everything_? What was wrong with me? I should have never thrown fire at that poor girl. That was the stupidest thing I could have ever done. But how was I to know it was the earthbender? Well, who else was here? Ugh, I should have known it would have been someone from the Avatar's gang. It could have even been Katara.

Katara. That was her name. The young earthbender had called her that when she told me about the assassin locking them in jail. Oh, what did it matter? Katara. The waterbender girl. It made no difference what she was called. Right now I had bigger problems to worry about. I had burned the earthbender's feet and she was headed back to camp. Great! As if I didn't have a hard enough time convincing them that I'd changed, now I had _this_ to worry about. They would never accept me after this blunder. I'm sure the waterbender, er, Katara would surely freeze me in a block of ice so thick that I'd never get out. Yeah. I was in trouble.

Slowly rising to my feet, I began pacing in front of the campfire. Where was that badgerfrog when I needed him? Maybe he would know what to do because I most certainly did not. Should I go back and try to explain myself? _Get out of here and don't come back._ Not a good idea. Then what was I supposed to do? Just pick up and leave? _What happened generations ago can be resolved now…by you. _Uncle's words had never sounded clearer. _Born in you, along with all the strife, is the power to restore __balance__ to the world._

Uncle had been right then and he was right now. The choice was easy. I had to return to their camp. I had to try again. And if that didn't work, then I'd try _again_. There was no going back, no turning around, no rewinding of the past. I had made my decision. I knew my own destiny. And I had chosen the path to follow. Only this time I knew it to be the right one. Hurrying over to my tent, I grabbed my robes and quickly threw them on. I would face the Avatar's gang with even more sins on my plate, but this time I knew the words I wanted to say and the thoughts I had to convey. It wasn't going to be easy. In fact, it was probably going to be harder than the last confrontation. But I was ready for it. And nothing, not even a few water blasts, could stop me now.

_**~-~ Katara's POV ~-~**_

"Has anyone seen Toph?" I asked early in the morning as I handed out bowls of rice for breakfast.

"I haven't seen her since she stormed off yesterday," Sokka said with a yawn.

"Maybe she's just exploring the air temple," Haru suggested. "There are some pretty fun spots to practice earthbending."

I hadn't seen Toph since last night and I was beginning to worry. She never stayed away this long. "I think we should go look for her."

Sokka shrugged as he sat down next to me. "Ah, let her have fun with her rocks. I'm in no rush to have her yelling at us again."

"We can go check for her," The Duke spoke up.

"Yeah. I want to ride that tunnel down to the hall of statues again. It'll work a lot better now that I fixed my brakes," Teo jumped in as he skated on by us.

With Haru, Teo, and The Duke off exploring the temple, the three of us that remained settled down for a quiet breakfast. But before I could even take a bite, rocks burst forth from a wall behind us and dust covered the area in a thick shroud. I immediately hopped up on my feet and went running in the direction of the raucous. Before I even reached her, I heard the noise of the earthbender's struggle and called out, "Toph, what happened?"

"My feet got burned."

I knelt behind her and stared down at the dreadful blisters. "Oh, no, what happened?"

"I just told you. My feet got burned," she replied with sarcasm.

My face hardened as well as my voice. "I meant _how_."

In a softer tone, Toph admitted, "Well, I kind of went to see Zuko last night."

My mouth fell open. Was she crazy?

"You what!?" Aang burst out.

"Zuko?" I asked in disbelief.

"Ugh!" Sokka added with a look of disgust.

On my feet now, I pulled out the water from my pouch and began working on Toph's burnt soles as she explained. "I just thought he could be helpful to us. And, if I talked to him, maybe we could work something out."

My brother stepped forward. "So he attacked you?"

"Well, he did and he didn't. It was sort of an accident."

An _accident_? With Zuko there were no accidents.

"But he _did_ firebend at you?"

Toph sighed and then replied to Aang's question with a resigned "Yes."

"See! You trusted Zuko and you got burned. Literally," Sokka pointed out.

The soles of Toph's feet were horribly burnt. That foolish firebender had done a number on them. "It's gonna take a while for your feet to get better," I clarified for Toph as the healing liquid cascaded back into my water pouch. "I wish I could've worked on them sooner."

"Yeah, me too," was the earthbender's offhanded reply.

Lifting a hand to his chin, Sokka thought aloud, "Zuko's clearly too dangerous to be left alone. We're gonna have to go after him."

"I hate to go looking for a fight, but you're right," the Avatar easily agreed with his plan. "After what he did to Toph, I don't think we have a choice."

Sokka followed Aang as he walked over to assist the fallen earthbender. "He's crafty, but we'll find a way to capture him."

As Toph turned around in order for the boys to pick her up, she recommended a simple strategy. "Maybe just invite him back here. He's already offered himself up as a prisoner once."

With Toph secured in the boys' arms, Sokka stopped in his tracks and marveled, "Yeah…get him to come back and say he'll be our prisoner, then we'll jump him and _really_ make him our prisoner." A mischievous smile was already forming on Sokka's lips as he walked over to the fountain. "He'll never suspect it!"

I shook my head. "You are a master of surprise, Sokka." As much as I wanted that ridiculous plan to work, I was pretty sure that it wouldn't. Zuko was crafty, as my brother had pointed out, but he wasn't stupid. I still believed all of this to be a trap. The fire prince came from the same bloodline as Azula so he had to be just as devious as her. No. This was all some sort of trick, one that the others might not be able to see, but_ I could_. It was a good thing that my eyes had been opened in Ba Sing Se or we would all be as blind as Toph was at the moment.

"Aw, that's the stuff," I heard her sigh as Sokka and Aang set her feet in the fountain water. Walking over to her side, I sat down next to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Now I know how the rest of you guys feel. Not being able to see with your feet stinks."

We all laughed at her joke and then I told Aang to go find some bandages for the blind earthbender. Sticking my hand in the water, I swirled it around her blistering soles, trying to diminish the redness and discomfort. It was a good thing she was so tough. I don't think I could've taken to being burned as courteously as she did. Toph didn't seem to be in a whole lot of pain, but Zuko would pay for this all the same. How could he be so careless?

"Here, Katara," Aang said as he handed me the linens.

"Thanks, Aang." Taking them from his hands, I set them down next to Toph. "Just a little bit longer and—"

An explosion of rocks and fire erupted directly in front of us and I hid my face from the debris. As soon as the dust cleared, I could see Sokka and Aang rushing to get Toph out of the water and back to safety. I hurried over to help them but just then a voice rang out over the canyon and I turned toward the sound. I couldn't believe what I was saw. My mouth hung agape as my eyes focused on our unlikely rescuer, the banished Fire Nation prince.

_**/-\ Zuko's POV \-/**_

On my way back to the Avatar's camp, I spotted the assassin hiding out above the temple. Maybe it was luck or maybe it was fate, but the minute I saw him, I knew I had a chance to undo at least one wrong in my life. His focus was fixed on the Avatar as he walked around the fountain. I didn't have much time. I leapt down to the next ledge, yanked a vine from the wall, and tied it off around an even bigger root. Glancing over at the assassin, I watched as he breathed in a deep gust of air. This was my chance. Grabbing onto the vine, I jumped off the side and swung towards him, effectively hitting him in the shoulder. It seemed that luck was finally on my side today because his aim was disrupted and his combustible strike missed the Avatar and his friends.

"Stop!" I commanded the assassin as he rose to his feet. "I don't want you hunting the Avatar anymore."

The big man breathed in another gulp of oxygen and was about ready to shoot, but I abruptly stepped in front of him and instructed, "The mission is off. I'm ordering you to stop."

With a shove, he pushed me off to the side and I tumbled to the ground. Another blast erupted near the fountain where the Avatar hid and I knew it was time for me to add some fire to my orders. I leapt to my feet and charged after the assassin with hands ablaze in flames. "If you keep attacking, I won't pay you!" But he stopped me with just one hand to my robes. "Alright! I'll pay you double to stop!" I was quick to add as I kicked his arm away, causing him to miss again.

The sound of metal meeting rock made me turn. He was facing me now and he didn't look too happy about my interference. Before I could say another word, the assassin had breathed in and shot an explosive attack in my direction. I quickly engulfed myself in a protective fire shield but there was no stopping the momentum of his explosion. It pushed me to the edge of the cliff and I went flying over the side. My hand shot out to the vines hanging below the ledge and I held on to them with all my might. After being jolted, a cringe wrinkled my brow as pain raced through my arms, but I ignored it and slowly began to ascend the vine.

While I climbed, I saw bits and pieces of the fight that the Avatar and his friends were putting up against the assassin. It didn't seem to be going well. Combustion Man, as they called him, was ripping apart the temple and would no doubt blast the cliffside into oblivion. I had to do something. Ugh, but I couldn't get up there fast enough. Another explosion rocked the mountainside and I held on tighter to the vine. At this pace, the Avatar would be dead by the time I got up to the ledge.

But just when I thought all hope was lost, I saw the sun reflecting off a boomerang and I watched in amazement as it hit the assassin dead center in his third eye. The force of the blow knocked him off his feet and sent him flying backwards. I guess that Water Tribe peasant was good for something. And he must have thought so too because he came racing out of his hiding spot with a shout of triumph. But the moment of celebration was short-lived as Combustion Man rose once more to his feet and filled his lungs with air. I held on tighter to the vine, waiting for the inevitable explosion.

The cliffside rumbled like an earthquake and the vine swayed violently as the ledge below me went up in a cloud of smoke. What had happened? Staring down into the abyss below the air temple, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The mangled body of the assassin fell down into the darkness of the canyon and the ledge went tumbling after him. I guess that boomerang did the trick. Turning my attention back on the vine, I climbed the remainder of the way and safely made it to the ledge. As I stood, my gaze focused on the Avatar and his friends. They were looking up at me with surprised expressions and wide eyes. Maybe now they would believe me. There was only one way to find out.

I couldn't seem to climb down fast enough, but in time I stood beside the fountain and walked towards them. Here it was. The moment of truth. Again.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but…thanks Zuko," the Avatar was the first to speak.

"Hey! And what about me? I did the boomerang thing."

I guess I would have to get used to the Water Tribe warrior's two cents. Oh, well. If it was the price I had to pay to be a part of their group, then so be it. Now was not the time to think on such things though. I had a mission to complete and this time I knew just the words to say. "Listen. I know I didn't explain myself very well yesterday," I began as I stopped in front of them. "I've been through a lot in the past few years and it's been hard. But I'm realizing that I had to go through all those things to learn the truth."

I glanced down at my feet. "I thought I had lost my honor and that somehow my father could return it to me." Lifting my eyes to meet theirs, I continued, "But I know _now_ that no one can give you your honor. It's something you earn for yourself by choosing to do what's right."

With a stronger resolve residing within me, I gave an answer to the question of fate my uncle had constantly placed before me. "All I want now is to play my part in ending this war. And I _know_ my destiny is to help you restore balance to the world."

The Avatar pursed his lips in what looked like an understanding gesture. This was it. I could feel it. But I wasn't finished yet. I had one more thing to say. Turning my attention to the earthbender girl, I bowed to her as I apologized. "I'm sorry for what I did to you. It was an accident. Fire can be dangerous and wild. So as a firebender, I need to be more careful and control my bending so I don't hurt people unintentionally."

Returning my focus to the Avatar, I saw his mouth drop in surprise and his appearance change to one of acceptance. His eyes met mine and my heart stopped at the words he said. "I think you _are_ supposed to be my firebending teacher." Ignoring the shocked expressions from the rest of the group, the Avatar stepped forward to explain his reasoning. "When I first tried to learn firebending, I burned Katara. And after that, I never wanted to firebend again. But now I know you understand how easy it is to hurt the people you love." The Avatar put a fist to his palm and bowed before me. "I'd like you to teach me."

A genuine smile crossed my mouth as I returned the bow. "Thank you." Lifting my head to meet his gray eyes, I took a deep breath and said with an air of enthusiasm to my voice, "I'm so happy you've accepted me into your group."

"Not so fast." My smile faded. "I still have to ask my friends if it's ok with them." The Avatar turned toward the earthbender, who I could tell now was blind, and asked her, "Toph, you're the one that Zuko burned. What do you think?"

Toph. So that was her name. She paused to think it over, but then a teasing grin lit up her face and she pounded her fists together as she said, "Go ahead and let him join. It'll give me plenty of time to get back at him for burning my feet." I wonder what she had in mind for revenge. Whatever it was, I could live with it.

"Sokka?"

The Avatar turned to the Water Tribe warrior and I followed his gaze. Sokka. I was sure I'd heard his name before, but I must not have been paying attention. I would have to remember that now. Although…he didn't look too happy about me joining. His eyes stayed locked onto mine for the space of a heartbeat and I could've sworn that he was going to disagree with his friend. But then he looked away and shrugged. "Hey, all I want is to defeat the Firelord. If you think this is the way to do it, then I'm all for it."

The airbender nodded his head in agreement and then walked over to the waterbender. Her gaze was focused on the earth at her feet and the Avatar seemed to hesitate in voicing her name. "Katara?"

She lifted her eyes to his and wrinkled her brow in disdain. No. That was her answer. Even I could tell that much. Just as I'd suspected, she hated me and wanted nothing to do with me. Her vivid blue eyes locked onto mine and I could feel the sweat pouring down my face. I could easily imagine what she must be thinking. No doubt it was somewhere along the lines of what she'd said to me in the crystal catacombs. _You're the Firelord's son. Spreading war and violence and hatred is in your blood._ She would never see me as anything more than the face of the enemy. She'd said so herself. But hadn't she also changed her mind in that regard. For a split second, I dared to hope.

And it seemed my hopes and prayers were answered for Katara turned back to the Avatar and replied, "I'll go along with whatever you think is right."

The care-free airbender smiled across at his waterbending friend and I couldn't help but mimic his grin. "I won't let you down. I promise," I vowed as I walked closer to them.

The gang dissipated as I drew near, but I didn't care. They had accepted me into their group. That's all that mattered. With a new joy bursting in my heart and a lighter step to my footfalls, I turned on my heels and went back to my campsite to pick up some supplies. This was it. A new beginning. A fresh start. The path to a greater destiny. And I was finally on it! I couldn't be more excited. I know I still had a lot of work to do in convincing them that I had truly changed, but I was on the right road at last.

As if it were permanently etched onto my face, the smile on my lips wouldn't go away for the entire trek back to camp. My age-old frown seemed to vanish as a big grin took its place, but I didn't mind. It was a welcome addition to my new life. However, little did I know that my frown had found its way to someone else's mouth and would be residing there for many weeks to come.

_**~-~ Katara's POV ~-~**_

The explosion that rocked the cliffside and sent Combustion Man to his doom had me shaking uncontrollably for the next several minutes, but the words that came from the fire prince's mouth had me trembling far longer. It wasn't fear or excitement that raced through my body but an endless rage and unmitigated anger. Why couldn't anyone else see that this was all a trick!? He was lying! And I didn't care what Toph said. I _knew_ the truth.

With a gaze that spelled murder, my eyes stayed locked on Zuko as he spread his web of lies. "Listen. I know I didn't explain myself very well yesterday." Ha. No kidding. "I've been through a lot in the past few years and it's been hard." _Hard_? What could he possibly know about _hardships_? _That's something we have in common._ Oh, it didn't matter. He hadn't lived through the war. He'd created it! "But I'm realizing that I had to go through all those things to learn the truth." I blinked. Was it possible that – No! I wasn't going to fall for it again!

"I thought I had lost my honor and that somehow my father could return it to me. But I know _now_ that no one can give you your honor. It's something you earn for yourself by choosing to do what's right." Wow. He was even more convincing than last time. He actually sounded like he'd learned his lesson. Shaking my head, I dispelled the thought. No, he hadn't changed and he hadn't learned anything! He was still the same horrible man who'd chased us down and betrayed me. My expression hardened.

"All I want now is to play my part in ending this war. And I _know_ my destiny is to help you restore balance to the world." I glanced over at Aang. He appeared to be buying this. Oh, great.

Zuko turned and bowed to Toph. "I'm sorry for what I did to you. It was an accident. Fire can be dangerous and wild. So as a firebender, I need to be more careful and control my bending so I don't hurt people unintentionally."

I caught the hint of acceptance in Aang's eyes and I knew Zuko had hit his mark. "I think you _are_ supposed to be my firebending teacher." Sokka's mouth dropped as my eyes narrowed. _What is wrong with you, Aang?_ I wanted to say to him. _Can't you see that he's tricking you?_ "When I first tried to learn firebending, I burned Katara." Aang glanced my way and I dropped my eyes from his. "And after that, I never wanted to firebend again." This whole incident with Toph was working _for_ Zuko instead of against him. What were the spirits thinking? "But now I know you understand how easy it is to hurt the people you love." I couldn't believe it but Aang actually bowed to Zuko. He was the last person that deserved that kind of respect. "I'd like you to teach me."

Zuko bowed in return. Great. That was it then. Aang had fallen for it and there would be no persuading him otherwise. Of course, ever the gracious Avatar that he was, Aang asked each of us in turn if we were _ok_ with Zuko joining our group. Toph was easy to convince and Sokka, well, he was Sokka. He'd go along with anything that would better his plans. As for me…

"Katara?"

I looked over at Aang and cringed. Uh-uh. No way! Absolutely not! My eyes met Zuko's and held his gaze in place. I could see the sweat pouring down his forehead, the glimmer of hope in his eyes, but, more importantly, the lies behind his solemn face. My own words circled within my mind. _This is just like when we were in prison together in Ba Sing Se. He starts talking about his mother and making it seem like he's an actual human being with feelings._ But he wasn't an actual human being. He was the villain. I just knew it.

Closing my eyes, I sighed. _Aang needs a firebending teacher._ Toph's words of wisdom were an unwelcome addition to my thoughts, but…she was right. I couldn't let my own hurt feelings get in the way of Aang's destiny. I didn't like the idea of Zuko joining our gang, but it was the only option we had. He would join us, but I would keep an eye on him. I knew truth when I saw it, and there was nothing of the sort in his eyes.

Lifting my gaze to Aang, I conceded, "I'll go along with whatever _you_ think is right." Aang smiled but I couldn't bring myself to return it. I knew the Avatar was wrong about this, and I desperately wanted to persuade him otherwise, but how could I?

Zuko's voice abruptly interrupted. "I won't let you down. I promise." He took a step towards us and I immediately turned from him and walked away. The gang seemed to follow my lead.

As we passed the fountain and came to the hallway that led to our separate rooms, Aang put a hand on my shoulder and said, "Thanks, Katara."

I didn't even turn. I just nodded and kept walking.

"Don't you need to bind Toph's feet?" Aang asked as I entered my room and put my hand on the door frame.

Sighing, I turned to face the young airbender. "I will. She should let her feet breathe for a bit anyway."

"Katara, are you al—"

"I'm fine, Aang. Right now, I just want to be left alone."

Aang's expression fell but I ignored it and shut the door behind me. Leaning my back up against the wood, I listened for Aang's departure. He stood there for a minute, most likely trying to decide whether to knock or not. _Please, Aang, just leave_, my mind begged him. Eventually, the kid chose the easy route and I sighed in relief at the sound of his fading footsteps. Talking to Aang about Zuko would have been like talking to my brother about boys. It just wasn't done.

Pushing off from the door, I plodded over to the window and crossed my arms as I breathed in the gritty canyon air. What had I done? I should have told Aang that Zuko was lying. Of course, I bet Toph would have told me that he wasn't, which I would not have believed for a second. He was lying. I knew it. And nothing Toph or any of the others could say would change that fact. This was Zuko we were talking about. Heir to the Fire Nation throne, son of Firelord Ozai, and brother to the most sinister witch who ever walked the earth. Therefore, he was bad, very _very_ bad. Why couldn't the rest of them see it?

Ba Sing Se. That's why. None of them experienced what I did. They didn't know how cunning Zuko was or how convincing he could be or how he could turn on you in an instant. How could they know that? They hadn't been there when he'd betrayed _us_, betrayed _me_! That's why it was up to me to protect them all! Suddenly I felt very thankful for Ba Sing Se for without that moment, I wouldn't know so much about Zuko's nature. But now that I did, I had to do something about it. I had to tell them!

No. I began to pace in front of the window. I couldn't do that. Aang still needed a firebending teacher so telling him that Zuko was lying would only further destroy his chances of finding a master to teach him. Zuko had to stay, that much was clear. Aang would learn firebending from him and we would all go along with his little ruse while it lasted. But the minute the firebender showed signs of turning back to his old ways, we would stop him, or rather, _I_ would stop him. That's how things were going to work. Zuko would be Aang's teacher and I would keep an eye on him. And if he made one wrong move or gave me one reason to think he might turn on us, then I'd stick an ice dagger in his heart. Yes. That sounded like a decent plan. There was just one thing left to do. Tell him.

**JUDGMENT (3) – YOU MAKE ONE WRONG MOVE AND YOU'RE DEAD!**

_**~-~ Katara's POV ~-~**_

"So, here you go." Sokka's voice cut through my thoughts and I stopped pacing. Opening my door just a crack, I watched as my brother showed Zuko to his new room which was unfortunately situated just a few doors down from mine. Wonderful. Now I had to endure the firebender's snoring. As if Sokka didn't provide enough ambient noise to try and fall asleep to. Zuko passed Sokka by and entered his room as my brother continued to blabber. "Home sweet home. I guess, you know, for now. Unpack. Lunch soon. Uh…welcome aboard."

I couldn't peer around my brother's big head to see or hear Zuko's response, but it must have been enough to satisfy Sokka. With a sigh, my brother turned from Zuko's room and met up with Aang in the hallway. "Okay, this is really really weird," he confessed to the airbender. Yeah. No kidding. But they didn't know the half of it.

I waited for Aang and Sokka to disappear around the corner before exiting my room. This was my chance. It was now or never. Time to go. But for some reason my legs just wouldn't move. Come on! You can do it. Still my legs wouldn't budge. Oh, this was ridiculous! I knew just what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it. It would be easy. All I had to do was look him in the eye and tell him that I'd be watching him. No big deal.

But why did it feel like a big deal? Why did it feel like I was throwing away our friendship? _Friendship?_ Was I insane? There was no friendship between us. There was only hatred and strife and sheer anger. I was throwing nothing away. I would only be telling him that I knew what a criminal he was and that I'd be there to run him through when he turned on me. _Us!_ When he turned on _us_!

A sigh escaped my lips. This wasn't about _me_. This was about _Aang_. Nothing more. I had to protect him. I had to guard him from the firebender's lies. And I had to do it _now_! My legs finally obeyed and started to move and I made it to Zuko's door with ease. He was busy unpacking so I leaned up against the door jamb and waited for him to acknowledge my presence. I could feel my heart racing within my chest. Calm down, Katara. You can do this. Just walk up to him and — was that a smile on his face? For _me_?

Pushing aside the thought, I narrowed my gaze at him, hardened the lines of my face, and opened my mouth. "You might have everyone else here buying your…" His smile vanished. He knew exactly what was coming. I could see it in his eyes. "…_transformation_, but you and I both know you've struggled with doing the right thing in the past." Pushing off from the door, I came to stand in front of him.

With a stare even colder than the winter snow, I looked up into his golden brown eyes and all the words of hatred and anger that I'd kept bottled inside for weeks rushed out of me. "So let me tell you something right now. You make one step backward, one slip-up, give me one reason to think you might hurt Aang, and you won't have to worry about your destiny anymore. Because I'll make sure your destiny ends – right then and there – _permanently_!" Ignoring the hurt in his eyes, I turned on my heels and stomped off toward the door, slamming it shut behind me.

"Katara?"

"Ugh! I'm fine, Aang!" I yelled back at him as I opened my bedroom door and subsequently crashed it into place with a bang. Why did that kid always have to check up on me? Why couldn't he just leave me alone? Why couldn't they all just leave me alone? Why!

Plopping down onto my bed and throwing the pillow over my head, I tried to drown out the images. But a pillow wasn't going to stop them from flooding in. His eyes. I'd never seen such regret, such guilt, such sorrow. Maybe he _was_ truly sorry. Maybe that's what he'd been about to tell me before I interrupted him with that threat. Ugh, why didn't I just let him speak. I screamed out the answer in my head. Because it would have been a lie! All lies! Just like Ba Sing Se! He would turn on me again. That's why I could never trust him.

But try as I might to justify my anger, I couldn't. I thought I knew everything there was to know about Zuko, but the look of remorse in his eyes had surprised me, so maybe I was wrong. Maybe he had actually changed this time. Maybe he was different now. I saw a hint of it the first time he tried to join us, and as I threatened him, I saw it again. This wasn't the Zuko from Ba Sing Se. He was someone else now, someone I didn't understand, someone I didn't want to.

But what did it matter? If I had chosen instead to befriend him and put my trust in him once more, he would've only found new ways to betray me. He may have changed this time, but deep down, I knew he was the same. He would still hurt me no matter what I did to try and persuade him otherwise. Which meant there was only one thing I could do. Never open myself up to him again no matter what he said or did and pray to the spirits to stop these tears from falling so my broken heart could mend.

_**/-\ Zuko's POV \-/**_

"So…uh, where will I be staying?" I asked the trio of friends who were gathered around the fountain upon my return. The waterbender, Katara, was absent from their assembly.

"Sokka, go show Zuko to his room," the Avatar directed toward the Water Tribe warrior.

He didn't look too happy about that decision. "Me? Why me?"

"Because you're the guy who assigned everyone to their rooms."

Sokka rolled his eyes and rose to his feet. "Fine." Walking over to my side, he waved his hand for me to follow and I graciously tagged along. As we turned a corner heading into the temple, he pointed to a door and said, "So, here you go. Home sweet home. I guess, you know, for now."

I stepped past him and entered my new room. My unwilling escort popped his head in the door and continued to talk. "Unpack. Lunch soon. Uh, welcome aboard." I shrugged my shoulders and gave him a quick smile to which he replied, "Yeah," as he turned from the doorway. Someone must have been waiting for him outside because he commented, "Okay, this is really really weird," and then walked off. A slight grin returned to my face at the remark. Yes, this _was_ weird and it would surely feel that way for a long time. But I was positive that we would all get used to it eventually, or, at least, I hoped so.

Tossing my bags on the bed, I began to unpack my belongings. I stopped when I pulled out a picture of my uncle. It was hard to believe that the last time I had been at the Western Air Temple, I was hell-bent on capturing the Avatar. Even to this day I could recall the promise I had made. _If I have to, I will spend every day of the rest of my life hunting the Avatar. I know it's my destiny to capture him._ And I would never forget Uncle's answering proverb. He didn't know it, but I always took everything that he said to heart even if I didn't agree with it at the time. But now as the words of the past washed over me, I couldn't agree more with him. _You know, Prince Zuko, destiny is a funny thing. You never know how things are going to work out. But, if you keep an open mind and an open heart, I promise you will find your own destiny someday._ If only he were here with me now, then he could see just how funny destiny had turned out to be.

My eyes suddenly popped open as I realized that someone was at the door. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw that it was the waterbender. A smile graced my lips as I stood to face her. Good. Now was my chance to apol — "You might have everyone else here buying your…" Nope. She was still angry with me. "…_transformation_." The word stung just as she'd intended it to. "But you and I both know you've struggled with doing the right thing in the past."

Entering my room with an air of authority, Katara walked right up to me and met my gaze with venomous rage. Her eyes revealed it all. She was not ready to forgive me or to listen to anything I had to say. And her words were only a confirmation of that fact. "So let me tell you something right now." She took an intimidating pace toward me and my mouth fell open at her threat. "You make one step backward, one slip-up, give me one reason to think you might hurt Aang, and you won't have to worry about your destiny anymore."

I thought Katara was a kind, compassionate waterbender. This girl was anything but that. She had passion and rage and an anger that burned like fire, which meant that my chances of rekindling our friendship were dwindling at an exceeding rate and that her threat…was not to be taken lightly. "Because I'll make sure your destiny ends – right then and there – _permanently_!" I shut my mouth as my shoulders drooped. I had been right. She hated me. She wanted nothing to do with me. And she was willing to kill me in order to prove it.

As the waterbender turned and fled my room, slamming the door behind her, I slumped down on my bed and covered my face in my hands. What had gone wrong? _I thought you had changed!_ I shook my head. But I _had_ changed…just…not in the way she had thought. Ugh. It was no use. She would never believe me. The fiery waterbender had made her choice while at the same time making it abundantly clear that her decision was as immovable as stone. There was no changing her mind, no talking her out of her bitterness, and no calming the flames of her anger. It was hopeless.

As hopeless as joining the Avatar? The question flew through my brain, carrying a wishful dream upon its wings. Yes, I had chosen the right path, and, yes, against all odds I had joined the Avatar, but to think that I would be able to turn Katara's mind around…it was preposterous! Impossible! It just couldn't be done!

A sigh rippled through my body and my shoulders sagged even further. Joining the Avatar had been a piece of cake compared to winning over the waterbender. And after her vivid display of hatred, I knew that making her see the truth was going to be one of the hardest endeavors I had ever dared to complete. But even though I knew it would be agonizingly difficult to convince her of my _transformation_, I would do it all the same for a woman who possessed that kind of passion and fire was exactly the sort of friend I yearned to have by my side in battle and in life.

* * *

_**REVIEW PLEASE!!! I LOVE REVIEWS!!! They Encourage Me & Make Me Write More Often! Thanks! =D**_

_First order of business – __**Never. Let Me. Do That. Again!**__ Phew. This project took forever, but it was well worth it. The reason it took longer was because I had to keep going back and forth between the episode and my transcript of it. I would copy the lines and then watch that part in the episode to get a feel for the moment. It was a great way to grasp the emotion, but it took a very very VERY long time! As I'm sure you can tell. LOL. Writing off the top of my head seems to flow a lot smoother and freer than copying from the episodes, so, yup, that's why it took so long._

_What can I say about this story? It's long and it took forever to complete. Zuko is such a dork and his crazy moment with the badgerfrog was hilarious and fun to write. Katara is a vengeful witch! (Maybe that should start with a "b" – LOL) Toph should have never stepped back into the fire. Idiot girl. Aang is still such a kid and I loved having Katara blow up at him at the end. Zuko really does want the waterbender to like him – awww – and Katara really does want to be friends with Zuko again – double awww!!! Yup, I think that about covers it. Why? Because my author's notes are way too long! =D_

_Don't trust FFN on the word count. It's only like 13,500 words. Haha. Yeah, like that isn't long. I know, I know, it's horrible. I gotta stop writing these monstrous ones and I will! __**The next 5 letters are NOT going to be so long. I'll be going back to more of the fun ones like I did with the first 5 letters. Here's what's coming up: Kindle, Liars, Myth (I've been crazy excited about this one), Nightfall (Sequel to Identity), & Oops.**__ Let your minds run wild with ideas. =D So for those of you (you know who you are) who hate the longs ones, don't worry, I'm gonna be pumping out some shorts ones soon._

_Again, __**REVIEW PLEASE**__!!! Do you agree or disagree with my portrayal of WAT? Or say something about the story. Let me know if I captured the emotion of the moment or if Katara's anger was vengeful enough or if Zuko's dorkiness made you laugh. Any comments are most welcome. And thanks for reading!_

_AVidZktjo_

_*****I'll reiterate. The next 5 will be short and sweet and fun. Again, they are: Kindle, Liars, Myth, Nightfall, & Oops. Stay tuned!*****_


	11. Kindle

**The ABCs of Zutara: KINDLE**

_Written by Katie Jo aka AVidZktjo_

AN OFFICIAL SEQUEL TO DISTRACTED  
(_In other words, I refer to that one-shot in this story, so I recommend that you read that one first_)

_The firebender was in love with a Water Tribe girl._ Shaking the distraction from her mind, Katara reined in her thoughts, forced them into submission, and tried to focus on the flow of water in her hands. Up and down. Back and forth. The clear, blue liquid moved with grace through her fingers and around her body in measured motions of fluidity. In. Out. Push. Pull. The only sounds that reached her ears were the misty splash of the waves and the crash of the ocean's current against the sand. Her mind was fixed on the present. Nothing else existed. No past. No future. Only the here and now. _So, are you pleasantly distracted?_

The water abruptly dropped from her command and the waterbender stood as rigid as a block of ice. Why did his voice have to constantly disrupt her thoughts with that blasted question!? The answer was the same every time. It hadn't changed and it wasn't likely that it ever would. _Yes_, she _was_ distracted. In fact, there wasn't a time these days when she _wasn't_ distracted. And when she tried to escape from the distraction, it only came back to, well, _distract_ her!

Bending the water back into her hands, Katara sighed and told herself, "Just focus. He's not here so there's no reason for me to be distracted. He doesn't exist. There's only me and the ocean. _Nothing else._" The water obeyed its master's command and cascaded through the various movements with polished skill and elegant style. Each technique was pristine and perfect in its execution. No mistakes. No blunders. No slipups. Just grace and poise and – Katara's lips slowly curled upward as the image of Zuko's captivating smile invaded her mind. To her disappointment, her motions broke out of their smooth flow the minute her thoughts turned in favor toward the distraction.

"Ugh!" In a huff, Katara threw down her disobedient element and lifted a wall of water before her. With rage in her eyes and a curse on her tongue, she pushed the wave away from her, crashing it into the rocks up ahead. "I'll never get it right!"

"Actually," – Katara whirled around to face the intruder – "I think it was perfect."

"Zuko." Just the man she _didn't_ want to see. "What are you doing up so late?"

Zuko, who had been casually leaning up against a tree intent on the waterbender's movements, stepped out from the shadows and walked towards Katara. Ignoring her question, the intrusive firebender waded into the water beside her and lit his palms aflame. "That last move you did, it almost looked like a firebending technique Uncle taught me."

"My last one? That wasn't a waterbending move. That was just anger."

A grin appeared upon Zuko's mouth. "I know."

Katara narrowed her eyes at him. "Then what technique are you talking about?"

"This one." With more grace than Katara thought possible from a firebender, Zuko drew out his flame and made it circle around him in much the same pattern as she had done earlier. It was beautiful, but it wasn't a firebending technique. It was a copycat. "See. It's the same as firebending," Zuko spoke up in the middle of his motions.

Pulling water into her hands, Katara mimicked his move. "No. Actually it is the same as waterbending. You're the one who stole my moves not the other way around. Not that I'm surprised. You've done it before."

Zuko extinguished his flame and stared over at Katara. "What are you talking about? I've never stolen any of your bending."

"Sure you have. In Ba Sing Se."

"What? Ba Sing Se?"

Katara sighed and let the water fall back into the ocean as she turned to face the puzzled firebender. "Yes. Ba Sing Se. Don't you remember? When we were fighting, you mimicked my every move."

Zuko rolled his eyes and shook his head. "That's called _adapting_ to your opponent."

"No. That's called _stealing_," Katara argued while putting her hands on her hips.

The simple gesture caught Zuko's eye and he couldn't help but focus on her scantily clad body. He tried to avert his attention away from what little clothes she was wearing and how much skin she was showing and the water cascading down her – "What does it matter? Fire and water have similar techniques. It's all the same."

"No, it's not. Fire is nothing like water. You can't do my moves and I can't do yours. The elements are all different," Katara continued to prove her point, failing to notice the way Zuko's eyes roamed.

In an attempt to regain his focus, Zuko turned from Katara and looked out over the ocean, producing flames in his palms once more. "That's not what my uncle told me." As the fire in Zuko's hands flowed like water through the air, he tried to explain. "The elements are all connected. Each one takes from the others and learns from it, and at the same time each one gives to the others and contributes to the whole. It is an endless cycle. We may be different in our elements, but our bending has similar aspects and techniques. They are all related, each one building upon the next. It is how the Avatar learns them all. Therefore, we are the same."

"Hmmm…" Katara hummed as she watched Zuko's graceful motions. His firebending was proof in and of itself. Each movement was as fluid as the next and looked as if water could have taken the place of the flames. Katara thought that Zuko must be right, but she wanted to prove his theory before fully accepting it. "Alright. If you're so sure that our elements are the same, let's see you do this." Katara lifted a wall of water before her, split it in two, and formed massive water whips around her arms. After moving them around her in a complex pattern, she shot them off in the firebender's direction and watched the wall of water evaporate into steam.

With a teasing grin on his smug face, Zuko provoked her. "Is that all you've got?"

As Zuko effortlessly imitated every action of hers with fire, Katara couldn't help but stare after him in amazement. _I guess he was right,_ she thought. After lifting a wave before her to block the flames he spewed her way, Katara voiced another question. "So you've got some skill in _adapting_ to waterbending techniques. How about you teach me something now?"

Zuko paused for a moment. "Alright. I've got the perfect one," he eventually complied. Focusing on the rising fire in his hands, Zuko molded it to his will and then circled the flames around his torso before spiraling it off into the night sky. It was a simple move save for the image that Zuko produced.

"A dragon? You want me to _make_ a _dragon_? I can't do that and you know it," Katara pointed out to him as her hands found their way to her hips yet again.

She looked annoyed, not that Zuko was focusing on her face. "Sure you can," he encouraged her as he stepped up behind her. "If I can do it with fire then you can easily make it with water. It's not that hard. Here, I'll show you." He couldn't believe he was doing this, but there was no stopping himself now. Not that he wanted to. With a cautious air to his gentle touch, Zuko wrapped his fingers around each of Katara's wrists and raised her hands. "You need to focus more on the wrist and finger movement than the overall bending." As Katara pulled water up into her hands, Zuko breathed in the scent of her hair and about fell over from the intoxicating scent.

"Is this right?" Katara asked in a hushed voice.

Zuko quickly shook off the aroma and focused on Katara's bending. "Uh, yeah, that's, um, that's good." He wanted to kick himself for his stuttering.

As Katara's unlikely teacher guided her through the intricacies of his bending artistry, she couldn't help but fumble a bit through the motions. Normally, she would have been able to pick up the move as quickly as any other, but with Zuko standing behind her, his warmth seeping into her skin, her focus on the technique had all but vanished. The only thing she _could_ focus on was the feel of his gentle hands upon her arms, the sound of his deep voice in her ear, and the searing heat radiating from his body and into her own. Her mind was anything but focused. In fact, it seemed as if distraction was now her constant companion.

Zuko was having about as much luck as Katara. His attention to the lesson at hand lasted about a millisecond and then his focus became fixed upon the waterbender for every second after that. The smell of the ocean in her hair was driving him crazy. Why did she have to smell so good? And on top of that, she was dressed in her training gear, though gear was the wrong way to put it. She was wearing next to nothing, which gave his eyes plenty of space to roam over. _Ugh. Focus, Zuko. Focus_, he tried to demand of himself, but it was no use. He couldn't even seem to get out a syllable let alone an entire word. He was fumbling all over the place and she wasn't picking up the move much either. This was a disaster.

"Uh, Zuko?" Katara whispered his name.

Why was her voice so quiet? "Yeah?"

"I don't think this is working." He could tell by the slow constricting of her neck that she swallowed hard. "Maybe…uh, maybe we should try this again tomorrow…or something."

Zuko cleared his throat and then dropped his hands from around her wrists. "Yeah. Sure." Before stepping away from his captivating student, he breathed in one last whiff of her hair, letting the scent burn within him. _Oh, spirits, she smells good._ It took all of his strength to back away from the enticing aroma, but somehow he managed to retreat.

Hesitantly turning around, Katara faced her tutor and gave him a timid smile. "I think you were right, Zuko. Our elements have their similarities both in style and technique."

All Zuko did was nod.

Tucking a strand of moist hair behind her ear, Katara looked down at the water around her calves. "I, uh, well, thank you for showing me that. I'll have to practice a little more, I think, before I get it." Katara glanced up at Zuko. His eyes seemed to hold hers with such intensity. What was wrong?

_Focus. Fo-cus_, his mind reprimanded through gritted teeth. His wandering eyes were turning into an annoyance, a very dangerously frightening annoyance. And yet, it was rather exciting as well. _No! Her eyes. Look in her eyes and nowhere else._ With concentrated force, Zuko stared into her big blues. There was no way he was going to let his thoughts and emotions control him like this. He couldn't let them. Katara was…well, she was Katara, a waterbender, a Water Tribe girl. She couldn't – He couldn't – _They_ couldn't. It just could never – _would_ never – work! But then why for the first time in his life did Zuko have no control over the heat within his body or the thoughts in his head?

"Well…I guess…" Zuko's eyes never dropped from hers and the intensity of his stare only seemed to increase with each passing moment. It was wrecking havoc on Katara's nerves and she had to get away before he burst out in anger or some other random emotion. The fire prince was not easy to read, especially now. "I'm just gonna…" Katara's gaze fell down to the waves and she walked past Zuko without looking back. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Wait." His plea was but a whisper in the dark.

Katara stopped and turned to face the back of her midnight companion.

After taking a deep breath, Zuko softened his gaze and met once more with eyes of blue. "It's beautiful out." Glancing above him, Zuko took in the vast expanse of the clear sky. "The stars are shining brightly tonight."

Katara furrowed her brow in confusion. "Yes. They are."

"I was…just wondering…if you…" Zuko closed his eyes and sighed. This was a stupid idea. What was he thinking? It wasn't like anything could come of this. The only thing this was going to accomplish was the same thing that taking her to the fountain accomplished. Nothing. Lifting his gaze to meet hers, he finished, "Never mind." With a dejected look in his amber eyes, Zuko passed by the waterbender and tread back to camp.

_Stupid! What were you thinking!_ he cursed himself. Katara was his friend now. That was all. And he couldn't ask for anything more than that. In fact, he didn't dare to. It was out of the question! Insane! Crazy! Only an idiot would think on such things. _Then I guess I'm an idiot because I can't stop thinking about her._ "Ugh!" In a fit, Zuko threw open his tent and crashed down upon solid earth.

_What was I thinking? Asking her to spend the night under the stars with me? That was the stupidest, craziest, most ridiculous idea I've ever had! I can't believe I even thought about asking her. Ugh, I can't believe I almost did. What's wrong with me? It's Katara, not some Fire Nation girl. Therefore, I can't._ Throwing the covers over his head, Zuko screamed out one last command in his mind. _So stop thinking about her!_

"Zuko?"

In an instant Zuko was up on his feet and out of his tent. "What is it, Katara?" Though her Water Tribe outfit still revealed her budding curves, the struggling prince couldn't help but thank the spirits that Katara was fully clothed now.

Zuko could tell she was nervous about something because she never bit her lip on any other occasion. "Well, I…I was just wondering if you would…" Katara moved her hands from around her back to reveal her sleeping mat. "It's a beautiful night, as you said, so I thought it would be a great time to sleep outside. Those tents can get a little stuffy. It would be nice to take a break from them."

Amazing. His plan had worked, not that it had been much of a plan to begin with, but it had worked all the same. She actually wanted him to sleep under the stars with her. Amazing. "So…does this mean that…"

Averting her eyes to the ground, Katara stuttered through the invitation. "I…well, you…you could join me…if you'd like."

A smile lit up Zuko's face and he burst out, "Of course, I'd love to!" Her big blues eyes met with his golden ones. "I mean…I would like to. Yes."

Katara found herself mimicking his grin. "Great. I'll meet you by the ocean then."

"Right."

Dropping her gaze from his penetrating eyes, Katara brushed past him and made her way to the ocean front. She could feel the heat of his stare on her back as she left his side and it sent shivers down her spine. _What was I thinking? This is crazy! I can't believe I actually asked him to join me. I mean, why did I ask him to join me? What's the point?_ Katara knew why she'd asked. All was forgiven. They were friends now. But still there felt like something was missing. She wanted more. She wanted to get to know the fire prince better. And she wanted to see his distracting smile again.

As Katara spread out her blankets on the sand, she scolded herself, "Stop it. This is crazy."

"What's crazy?"

Oh, great. "Nothing. I was just, um, well…" Katara said the first thing that came to her mind. "I'm a little cold is all." Cold? Yeah, right. She was a waterbender who lived in the South Pole. Nothing was cold to her.

Zuko stepped up beside her and spread out his own mat right next to hers. Then he glanced over at the waterbender and held her eyes with his. "I think I can help with that."

Katara wrinkled her forehead. "How?"

Zuko's lips curled in a teasing grin. "I am a firebender after all. I can warm anything." Zuko leaned in closer to Katara and whispered with an even deeper tone to his voice, "Even you."

Katara's eyes popped and she could feel her cheeks getting redder with each passing second. Brushing her hair from her shoulder, she dropped her eyes and turned her attention to the blankets they each had spread out on the beach. She practically tripped as she lowered herself into a seating position. _So, are you pleasantly dis — Yes! I am. Okay. Enough already!_ This was going to be one interesting evening to say the least.

Sitting down next to her, Zuko immediately tried to apologize for his idiotic statement. "Katara, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It was stupid of me. I didn't mean it like that." Zuko smacked himself in the head and sighed. What was wrong with him? _I can warm anything. Even you._ What kind of reply was that? Katara must have thought he was trying to seduce her or something, which was just ridiculous…or was it_? Enough! I'm not attracted to Katara. I want nothing more than to be friends with her. And that's the end of it!_ But as Zuko's eyes lifted and locked onto the understanding gaze of the waterbender, he knew nothing was further from the truth.

"Katara, I'm—"

His companion lifted her hand and waved off his apology. "Don't worry about it, Zuko. I thought it was rather cute what you said. Actually, it was kind of funny." A small chuckle rocked her shoulders and Zuko found himself growing weak at the sound.

"So…you're not cold then because I can…well…" Zuko's gaze fell from hers. "I can still, um, help with that. I mean, I can, well, I can…what I'm trying to say is that…"

Katara bit her lip in an attempt to hold back her laughter. This had to be the first time she'd ever heard Zuko ramble on uncontrollably. When had he ever stuttered? Well, there was the time he had tried to join them, but that was just nerves. Then what was this? Was he…nervous? No, he couldn't be. What could he possibly be nervous about? "Zuko."

A sigh escaped the firebender's mouth and he lifted his eyes to hers once more. "Yeah?"

Now was her chance. She could either tell the truth and say that she wasn't cold – or – she could lie and say that she was. It wasn't that hard of a decision to make. "I think my waterbending practice gave me a bit of a chill." Wrapping her arms around herself, Katara tried to imitate shivers. "I am a little cold."

"Well, uh…here." Zuko lifted his arm in an inviting gesture, and to his utter joy, Katara fell into the embrace and even nestled in closer to him. "There…is, uh…is that better?"

Aside from her racing heart, everything was much better. "Yes." Through the use of his firebending, Zuko had somehow made his body even warmer than it usually was and Katara found herself melting in his arms. His embrace was nothing like her brother's or her father's or even Aang's. It was something else. Different. Unique. Special. And it warmed her in more ways than one. The heat from the firebender's arms seeped through her skin, filling her up with fire, a fire that ran deeper than the simple flames of his element.

Was this really happening? Was Zuko actually holding her? She couldn't believe it. Against all odds, she had trusted this man and even befriended him. But now there was something more, something deeper, something much greater than mere friendship forming within her heart. Glancing up at Zuko's face, Katara marveled at the beauty there. Even though he was scarred, he was handsome and very beautiful to behold. Dropping her eyes, Katara bit her lip. What was happening to her? Was she actually _attracted_ to Zuko? Without thought to her action, Katara pulled out of Zuko's embrace and inched away from him.

"What's wrong?"

Lying down on her sleeping mat, Katara stared up at the starry sky. "Nothing. I'm just a little tired."

"Oh."

She could hear the disappointment in his voice, but she ignored it and focused on the stars up above instead.

Zuko didn't know what he'd done wrong. He had tried to keep his temperature at an even level, but maybe he had warmed her too much. Or maybe…maybe he had moved too fast. Maybe this had all been a mistake and she was just now realizing it. Looking over at her still form, he let his eyes take her in. She was so very beautiful. Any man could see that. And he _had_ seen that. Zuko had recognized his attraction to her almost instantly. He'd been thinking of her as a woman now ever since he'd tied her to that tree all those months ago. And now he looked on her as the loveliest sight he'd ever seen. But it was in the moment he'd been able to talk with her for the first time that he realized her beauty was more than skin deep.

That sounded so clichéd but it was true nonetheless. She was compassionate and kind and understanding. He'd never found anyone like her. Of course his uncle had provided him with the same understanding heart, but finding it in the waterbender had been unexpectedly rewarding and quite different from his uncle. Katara had become a dear friend to him and he would do anything to keep her in his life. Betraying her trust had been one of the biggest mistakes he'd ever made, but scaring her away would be an even bigger one.

Lying down beside the rigid waterbender, Zuko did as she and turned his attention to the stars. It was one of the clearest nights he'd seen since joining their gang and picking out the constellations was a breeze. There was Sozin, the great dragons, even the Fire Nation symbol, all brilliantly displayed in the sky.

"I've never seen Tui and La so clear."

"Who?" Zuko asked upon hearing her murmur.

"Tui and La." Katara glanced over at Zuko and then lifted her hand up to point out the two circling koi fish. "Don't you see them? They are circling one another in their never ending dance."

Zuko followed Katara's tracing finger but he didn't understand what she was talking about. Shaking his head, he lifted his own hand into the sky and traced the same figure, explaining the _true_ meaning of the constellation. "No, that's the great dragons of old. They are spewing fire from their mouths. Their tails meet at the center. See?"

Katara turned her head toward Zuko. "What are you talking about? That's Tui and La, the two koi fish at the North Pole who represent the moon and the ocean."

Zuko furrowed his brow. "What? That's the two great dragons who were the first to teach man how to bend fire. That constellation has been a part of our culture for hundreds of years."

"No, it has been a part of _ours_ for hundreds of years."

Zuko rolled on his side to face Katara better. "Wait. Are you telling me that we have different constellations?"

Katara's eyes grew wide at his question. "We do?" She mirrored his position. "How is that possible?"

"I don't know. I guess our varying cultures came up with different images in the sky."

"Hm," Katara murmured as she stared into Zuko's golden eyes. In an instant, the constellations were forgotten and all she could focus on was the handsome face in front of her. Once she had called him her enemy and thought him ugly, but now all she could see was his beauty. And that scar…Katara reached to touch it but quickly drew back her hand when she saw Zuko's stunned expression. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have."

But the fire prince grabbed her hand and gently placed it upon the rigid skin of his face. "It's alright. You can touch it."

Feeling the roughness of his burnt skin under her fingers should have been a familiar sensation but it wasn't. Something had changed in Zuko since Ba Sing Se and even his scar felt different somehow. It was still a scar, rigid and hard, but the face of the man that possessed it had become much softer. Katara could sense the change in him. The mark upon his face was no longer a failure in his life but it had finally become what it had been all along. Just a scar. It may have been a part of his face, but it no longer had any control over him the way it had before. "You've learned to accept it, haven't you?"

Zuko was amazed that she could read him so easily. "Yes. I have. I realize now that healing my face of this blemish would have done nothing but remove a scar. Nothing can heal the past. Not even a skilled waterbender like you."

A slight smile appeared on Katara's lips as she lifted her hand from his face and put it back in front of her. "Then you truly have changed."

"It's about time you see that," Zuko replied with a playful grin.

Katara chuckled but then grew serious. "Have you ever let anyone else try to heal it?"

The fire prince's teasing grin dimmed as he replied. "No. I've never let anyone come close enough to touch it. Not even my uncle."

Katara's eyes widened in surprise. "Then why did you let me?"

Zuko put his hand over Katara's and captured her eyes with his. "Because you were the first person to offer me real hope. You saw past the scar and into a destiny I had not yet realized. You understood me more than anyone else has since my uncle. You saw the real me."

Katara didn't know how to answer. She knew that something deeper had taken place in the crystal catacombs than just the simple gesture of kindness she had made to the fire prince. But she hadn't known what it was until now. Friendship had sparked between them in the cave, a fire had begun to kindle within their hearts, and now it was starting to rise. "I'm the only one who has ever touched your scar?" was all the response Katara could give as his amber eyes seemed to dig deeper into her soul.

The smile on Zuko's lips lifted higher. "Yes. You're the only one."

Katara bit her lip as her heart sped up its beating. The warm hand he had placed over hers was wrecking havoc on her nerves and his eyes were putting color in her cheeks. As gently as she could, Katara pulled her hand out from under his and then turned on her back to look up at the night sky. "So…which of the constellations are different?"

The blush that had spilled over on Katara's face only made her more captivating and Zuko's internal struggle with his eyes returned in full force. The only way to combat the distraction was to turn his attention back to the sky and join Katara in her star gazing. As they took turns explaining the different patterns, their hands inched towards the middle of their sleeping mats. Before they knew it, their fingers had met. With one quick glance, the decision was made and their hands intertwined in an innocent touch.

As the quiet evening wore on, their eyes began to tire and their conversation slowed. Though it was clearly a lie to her, Katara shivered as the wind picked up. Ever the gentleman, Zuko wrapped his arms around her shoulders in another warm embrace. Her head rested within the crook of his arm and Zuko set his cheek atop her intoxicating hair. The sweet smell that filled his lungs and the warmth of her hand within his made no difference at all to the truth of the moment for the truth had been burning within him long before that evening. It had begun to spread like a budding flame, but now it was reaching towards his heart. If he wasn't careful, the simple kindle would become a raging fire that would consume his whole being. But who was being careful.

_

* * *

_

_**REVIEW!!! Please & Thank You! ^_^**_

_It's so ADORABLE!!! Awww… In case you didn't figure it out already, this was all FLUFF and nothing more. Hehe. Seriously, I'm more of a plot person than a fluff person so this was something different for me. Don't get me wrong, I love the fluff, but I like plot within the fluff. LOL. Anyway, it doesn't matter. This was just cute and adorable and had the awww-factor. I didn't plan on it being a sequel either, but it worked._

_As for the word KINDLE – it means the beginning of a fire. Great word, right! Basically in this story I wanted to show the beginning of the great romance between Zuko and Katara. It starts with attraction and then moves into more. So in this story they are both attracted to each other, though they may try to fight it, and they are starting to like each other in that deeper way. Yay! So cute!_

_And stuttering Zuko – gotta love him! When it comes to a romantic Zutara, I guess I picture Zuko kind of awkward because he's never really been in a real relationship before. He's been too occupied with chasing after the Avatar, but now he has time to relax and his manly desires are kicking in. Hehe. Focus, Zuko. Fo-cus…on Katara that is! =D_

_I thought that the difference in constellations was a cool idea. Since they are from different cultures, I believe that they would have a difference in many things not just their images in the sky. Plus, it was a cute scene. And I had to go into the scar bit because Katara needs to know that she's the only one who's ever touched it. And the part at the beginning where she scolds him for stealing her moves in Ba Sing Se was just too funny. We've all thought it. It was time they actually talked about it._

_Oh, and I gotta give a shout-out to **LavenderLeo** because she kind of inspired a moment in this one-shot with her own brilliant story. I wonder if she can pick it out. Let me know, girl! In the meantime, check out her amazing Zutara story – **Where the Sun Meets the Ocean** – one of the best I've read!_

_Thanks for reading! And don't forget to REVIEW!!!_

_AVidZktjo_

_***** Liars is sure to be fun! Can't wait! Oh, and I tried to keep this short, but it still kinda went a little long. Sorry. Can you find it in your hearts to forgive me? =D *****_


	12. Liars

**The ABCs of Zutara: LIARS**

_Written by Katie Jo aka AVidZktjo_

"No, Toph. I'm not playing another one of your silly lie games."

"Why not? It'll be fun."

Katara crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at the insistent earthbender. "N. O. No."

"Why not, Katara?" Toph asked again as she leaned back and folded her hands behind her head.

"Because, _Toph_," Katara said her name with force, "you always know when we're lying, you spill all our secrets, and I'm sick of you prying into our lives."

Toph shook her head and countered with an innocent flare, "That's not true. I would never do that."

Katara rolled her eyes. "Now who's the liar?"

"Hey, if you guys would just tell the truth, there wouldn't be a problem," the earthbender said with a shrug of her shoulders.

Though his mouth was full of food, Sokka still managed to get out his own opinion. "It's not that we don't wanna tell the truth cuz I'm all about being honest."

"Liar," Toph mumbled.

"It's that you ask all the questions we don't wanna answer."

Toph sat up straight and lifted her hands in surrender. "Alright. Fine. I'll ask easy questions this time. We can start with something simple like…" The earthbender tapped her foot on the ground in thought and then blurted out suddenly, "Oh, I got it! How about this." Focusing her internal lie detector on the suspicious waterbender, Toph asked, "What's your favorite color?"

"That's a ridiculous question, Toph," Aang butted in as he pointed at his waterbending friend. "It's so obvious that her favorite color is blue. She wears it all the time."

"So. It's the color of her tribe. That doesn't mean it's her favorite."

Lifting his dinner bowl to his mouth, Aang murmured, "It's still a ridiculous question," before taking a sip.

After shaking her head at Aang's pathetic statement, Toph's attention returned to Katara. When the stubborn waterbender didn't immediately answer the _ridiculous_ inquiry, the earthbender jutted a piece of the ground into her leg, making her yelp. "Stop it, Toph! I'm not going to answer any more of your questions!"

"Oh, come on. It's an easy one." Clasping her hands together, Toph pursed her lips and begged, "Pleeeaaase. I promise I won't embarrass you this time."

With a sigh, Katara replied, "Blue. Alright. My favorite color is blue."

The lie detector programmed into her small body picked up on the waterbender's change of heartbeat and she grinned. "Uh-huh. Zuko?"

The fire prince looked up from his bowl and shook his head. "No way. I'm not getting caught up in this again. I haven't forgotten what happened last time."

"Sheesh. It was a joke. When are you gonna get over it?"

"When you stop forcing me and Katara to answer your stupid questions."

Toph waited for Zuko to take another swig of his stew before posing the question to him once more. "It's not that hard though. All I wanna know is your favorite color."

"No," he said between gulps.

"Oh, come on. It's easy."

Zuko shook his head.

"All it takes is one simple word. Green. Yellow. Blue. Red. Purple. White. Black. Which is it?"

Without taking his eyes from his bowl, Zuko stated, "Why do you even want to know what my favorite color is? It's not like you can see it anyway."

Everyone gathered around the campfire immediately perked up and turned their attention on Toph. She was sure to be angry at Zuko's last comment. But the earthbender didn't even seem to notice. Instead she kept badgering him for an answer. "It's your favorite color. I'm not asking you if you wanna kiss Katara or anything. I just wanna know which color you like best. That's all."

Zuko's fingers paled as they gripped tighter around his bowl. She wasn't going to let this go until he answered and he knew that all too well. But he also knew that once he answered, the little trickster would trap both him and Katara in another lie and turn it against them just as she'd done before.

"Come on, Zuko. What is it? Just tell me."

His anger was going to cost him. Throwing down the half empty bowl, Zuko yelled across the fire at the grinning earthbender, "Red! Alright! My favorite color is red! Are you happy now!?"

Toph's grin widened and the same sparkle of wicked trickery he'd seen three nights ago filled her eyes. "Yes. I'm _very_ happy." Glancing between the two diverse benders, Toph delivered her verdict. "By the way, you're both liars. Katara's favorite color isn't blue and Zuko's isn't red. In fact, I'd be willing to bet that it's the complete opposite."

Zuko and Katara jumped to their feet at the same time and blurted out in unison, "WHAT!?"

Toph leaned back, folded her hands behind her head, and shrugged. "So you like each other's color. Big deal."

"No, we don't!" the two heated benders argued together. Once the words had exited their mouths, they looked over at one another and cringed. Could things get any worse?

Toph was constantly out to aggravate them. Neither one of them would ever forget the training incident where she threw them into each other's arms and locked them in that position with an earth blanket. Sokka wasn't too pleased about that one and neither was Aang. But that wasn't even the worst of it. Next thing they knew, Toph was asking them all these questions and letting the whole group know when they were lying, which led to a very unpleasant confrontation three nights ago. Toph had gotten both Zuko and Katara so angry at her that they blurted out their answers without even thinking about it, and, boy, did it cost them dearly.

"Admit it, Katara, you _want_ to kiss Zuko," Toph had teased her.

And Katara was easily baited into answering. "No, I don't! Why would I want to kiss _Zuko_!? That's crazy!"

The earthbender had grinned with that teasing look in her eyes and replied with a shrug, "I don't know why you wanna kiss each other. Maybe it's because he's your prince charming and you're his princess. I dunno. But your accelerated heartbeats give it all away. You're both a bunch of liars."

"No, we're not!" they had rebuked her simultaneously.

And now they were at it again, only this time it was a stupid argument about their favorite colors. When would Toph's torment end? "Toph," Katara started while attempting to keep her voice calm, "Zuko and I like our own colors."

"I know you _like_ your own colors, but that wasn't the question. The question was which color was your _favorite_ and the answer is that Zuko's favorite is blue and yours, Katara, is red. Plain and simple."

Katara wanted to pull her hair out in frustration, but instead she tried once more to reason with her _ex_-friend. "Toph, you know that's not true. My favorite color is blue—"

"And mine is red," Zuko filled in for her. As he neared the imposing blind girl, he continued on in anger, "How many times do we have to tell you that there is nothing going on between us and there never will be. In fact, _Toph_, Katara hates my guts and I pretty much hate hers, too. So leave us alone already and drop this ridiculous notion that we wanna kiss each other!"

Zuko stood within inches of the relaxed earthbender and looked about ready to incinerate her on the spot. But Toph didn't even seem to notice. She just smiled and said, "I didn't even bring up the fact that you wanna kiss each other. You did that on your own." Zuko's palms blazed with fire but Toph wasn't done yet. While pretending to look at her dirt-covered nails, she added, "Oh, and by the way, your anger is just more proof that I'm right."

"That's it!" Zuko screamed as the fire in his hands rose higher. Everyone's eyes popped as Zuko took a fighting stance before his aggravating opponent. His menacing appearance would have made anyone rise up to defend themselves, but Toph didn't even move an inch from her casual position. Though she looked all sweet and innocent on the outside, Zuko knew how horrible and manipulative she could be. More than anything he wanted to strike her down with fire but he knew he'd be making a grave mistake if he did. So instead he punched his fists out above her head, sending a huge flame whirling forth from his fingertips. Turning on his heels, he then stomped off away from the group and into the depths of the Western Air Temple.

As he fled the scene, everyone watched the fuming firebender with rapt attention. Once he was out of sight though, all eyes turned on Toph. Aang was the first to open his mouth. "You need to stop teasing him."

"And me," Katara scowled.

The words didn't even seem to register with the earthbender for she went right along with her trickery. "You should go after him, sugar queen."

Now it was Katara's turn to get angry. "I'm _not_ going after him!"

"Why not? You'll miss your opportunity to kiss your prince charming in secret."

"That's it!" Katara mimicked the fire prince, but she wasn't about to storm off as he did. Unlike Zuko, she wanted a fight. Bending the water from her pouch, Katara froze it into a dozen spikes and sent them hurtling toward the irritating girl.

Toph easily blocked them with a simple wave of her hand. "Your anger is just proof that I'm—"

"No, you're not!" Katara pulled the water back to her side and formed it into a water whip that lashed out at the earthbender. Toph dodged it with ease and then sent a boulder straight at Katara's stomach. The waterbender wasn't fast enough in dodging it and the rock hit its mark, sending Katara flying back into a column. Once she had risen to her feet, she circled the water around her, ready for another attack. But Toph just stood there with her hands on her hips and the same mocking grin on her lips. Katara hated that grin but she hated Toph's lie detector even more. "I'm not the only one who's lying. You're as much of a liar as I am!"

Toph threw back her head and laughed. "Then you admit it! You _are_ lying!"

Seething with rage, Katara threw down her water in a huff, abruptly turned on her heels, and stomped off to her room, slamming the door behind her.

"Wow, Toph, you're really mean," The Duke dared to speak up after the sound of the crashing door receded.

The grinning girl just smiled. "Thanks. I get that a lot. Now…who wants to answer my next question?"

The gang immediately dissipated and Toph frowned at their absence. "Fine! Be that way!" she yelled after them. But her smile quickly returned as she thought on her success. "Maybe now those two will finally quit lying to one another. If not," Toph rubbed her hands together, "then I'll just have to catch them in another lie." As her shoulders rocked in silent chuckles, the manipulative earthbender trotted off to her room, reveling in the brilliance of her future plans for the fire prince and his ice queen.

///A\\\

"You're worried about him."

Katara tried to ignore the horrendous girl seated next to her at breakfast but it was nearly impossible. She kept repeating the same thing over and over in her ear, and each time she said it, another part of Katara's sanity was chipped away and blown to the wind. The waterbender didn't know how much more of this she could take before her resolve was completely destroyed.

"Just admit it. You and I both know it's the truth."

A growl escaped Katara's mouth but she refused to form words.

"Of course, it's pretty obvious why you're worried about him."

Katara kept her eyes on the spot where Sokka and Aang had disappeared that morning in search of the fire prince. Toph held some truth to her words. She couldn't deny that she was a _little_ worried about the firebender, but that was only because it was in her genes to worry. She _always_ worried. It was just something she did in response to her caring nature. But that did _not_ mean she _cared_ about the firebender. She didn't care about him at all. She was just a little –

"You're thinking about him."

Katara felt her heartbeat quicken. Could Toph read people's thoughts now, too? With a sigh, Katara turned to face the chattering earthbender and decided that honesty was the best policy. "Fine, Toph. I'll admit that I'm a little worried about Zuko. Something could have happened to him. He may be hurt. But that's as far as my worry goes. I just want him to be alright. Alright?"

Toph's mouth widened into that teasing grin again but suddenly her smile vanished as she jumped to her feet. "Oh, no. Zuko's hurt."

Katara rolled her eyes. "Ha. Ha. Real funny, Toph. If you're trying to trick me, it won't –"

"I'm not kidding." Grabbing hold of Katara's hand, Toph yanked her up off the ground. "Come on! It feels like he's hurt pretty bad." Toph took off at a sprint in the opposite direction, beckoning for Katara to follow her, but Katara refused to believe the trickster of an earthbender. "Come on, Katara. He's gonna need your help," Toph tried reasoning with her stubborn friend.

"No, Toph. I'm not falling for it," she replied with a shake of her head.

"Ugh. Fine! Let him die then." With a pound of her foot that nearly threw Katara off balance, Toph fled around the corner and out of sight.

"Maybe she's telling the truth," Haru spoke up as he set his bowl down beside him.

Katara turned to face her optimistic friend. "Don't be ridiculous. She's lying."

"I dunno," Teo said, relinquishing his hold on his breakfast as well. "Toph may pull some tricks on us at times, but she has never lied about anything as serious as this. I think we should go check it out."

Haru nodded. "Agreed."

Haru, Teo, and The Duke set aside their breakfast and followed after Toph in a hurry, leaving Katara alone to wonder. "I'm not going to fall for it! I'm not!" she yelled after them. Plopping down beside her cooking pot, she picked up her breakfast bowl and started to eat. Once she was finished, she decided to clean up the mess that everyone had left behind. "If they want to play a trick on me, then fine. No breakfast for them." After all the dishes had been cleaned and the leftovers stored away, Katara sat down next to the diminishing fire and stared at the spot where Toph had disappeared.

Hours went by, or at least it felt like they did. How long were they going to keep up this joke? "Come on, guys, you can come out now," Katara tried to lure them from their hiding spots. But nothing happened. No one appeared. And she didn't even hear the sound of shuffling feet. What was going on? This _had_ to be a joke. Zuko wasn't actually hurt…was he? The terrifying thought quickly wound its way into Katara's mind and she was up on her feet in a flash. Maybe this wasn't a joke. Either way, she had to find out.

But just as Katara was about to head for the temple, Sokka came running around the corner and about knocked her over. "Katara! We need you! What are you doing!?" he lashed out at her as he grabbed her hand and pulled her along beside him.

Katara's anger instantly returned and she yanked her hand out of her brother's hold. "What does it look like I'm doing!? I'm waiting for you guys to admit this is all a joke, that's what!"

"What!?" Sokka eyed Katara in disbelief and then shook his head. "We don't have time for this." Grabbing onto her hand again, Sokka dragged his sister around the corner and toward Zuko's room.

"Sokka, what's going on?" she asked while allowing his insanity to continue.

"Didn't Toph tell you? Zuko's hurt."

"What?" Now it was Katara's turn to shake her head. "He's Zuko. He can't be hurt."

"Well, apparently he can." After letting go of his sister's hand, Sokka flung open the door to the firebender's bedroom. "See!" he said while pointing inside.

The entire gang was gathered around the bed, and at Sokka's words, they all turned their attention on the doorway. Aang was the first to speak. "Katara! Where have you been?"

"It's about time you got here, sugar queen. Princey here needs some major healing."

"I told you Toph was telling the truth," Haru was the last to add.

Katara couldn't believe her eyes. This definitely wasn't a trick. There were bruises all along Zuko's right arm and even on the right side of his face. And the loose bandages around his leg had to mean that something even worse lay underneath. What happened to him?

"Katara?"

Aang's mention of her name snapped her out of her shocked state and she flew into action. Sitting down on the bed, Katara put a hand to the bruises on his face. This was going to take some work to heal. "I'll need water and lots of it." Sokka and Aang immediately sprung in to action and fled the room. "As for the rest of you, you all need to leave. I have to concentrate if I'm going to heal him."

"But, Katara, we want to stay," The Duke choked out amidst his tears.

Katara turned her attention to the small boy and gave him a warm smile. "Don't worry, The Duke, he'll be fine. I just need a few minutes to heal him and then he'll be as good as new."

The Duke nodded in response and then followed Haru and Teo out the door.

"Do you really think you can heal him?" Toph asked in a whisper as she stood up to leave.

Bending the water from her pouch, Katara began working on Zuko's arm. "I don't know, Toph. All I can do is try."

As soon as the earthbender had left the room, the two boys returned with buckets full of water. "Do you think you'll need more than that?" Aang was quick to ask.

"I'll let you know," Katara replied as she pulled more water onto Zuko's arm.

"You might want to work on his leg first. It looks like he might have broken it," Sokka suggested.

Katara poured the water back into the pale and then lifted the bandages from Zuko's leg. It was even worse than his arm. Looking back at her brother, Katara asked, "What happened?"

Sokka stared into his sister's eyes with a look of wonder on his face. "I still can't believe we were able to find him. He was buried under a ton of rubble, but, luckily, Aang spotted his tunic and we were able to dig him out." Sokka paused to shake his head.

"So…what happened to him?" Katara tried to get an explanation out of her brother.

"Well, it looked like the path he was walking on crumbled underneath him and he fell through. It was a pretty long drop. It's a wonder he's even alive."

Katara glanced over at Zuko's mangled face. How did he not see the broken path before him? How could he have missed that? And why didn't he just blast himself to safety? He was a firebender. Surely he could have saved himself somehow. So why didn't he?

"Be sure to let us know when he's up," Aang requested before both him and Sokka left the room and shut the door behind them.

Katara couldn't believe the damage to Zuko's leg alone. Running her hand along his pale skin, she sensed that he had at least three fractures along with an actual break in the bone. She had never healed broken bones before and the thought of healing him wrong made her heart race. "You can do this, Katara. It's just like healing any other injury. No big deal." Pulling a wave of water up from the buckets, Katara spilled the liquid over Zuko's leg. After taking a deep breath, the water began to glow and Katara went to work.

The fractures took some doing but they were repaired easily enough. However, the broken bone at his knee was not so easy to put back together. While using both her healing power and her bloodbending ability, Katara tried to push the bone back into place and make it reattach itself. It took a lot more work, but she was able to reposition the bone. Unfortunately, Zuko chose that moment to bolt upright in his bed and Katara immediately lost her grip. In a snap, the bone returned to its broken state and Zuko fell back with a cry of pain.

"Zuko, calm down. Calm down." Katara took control of the water around his leg, and in an attempt to silence him, she swirled the glowing liquid around his calf in a soothing motion. "It's alright. You're going to be alright. Just calm down."

Zuko's cries eventually dimmed to groans as Katara massaged his leg, but she could still tell he was in great pain. Along with the squinting of his eyes, his fists were clenched so tightly that his hands had gone whiter than a ghost. Glancing over at his face, Katara could see that a cringe had permanently etched itself onto his brow, turning his features into a mask of torment. She almost felt sorry for him. Almost. "You know this is all your fault. If you hadn't run off in an angry fit, you'd be just fine right now."

Zuko's groans turned into a deep growl. "Well, maybe…if that earth – ah!"

"Quiet! You don't want to scare everyone." Katara centered her water on the break and then looked back at Zuko. "Now hold still. I'm gonna try to get your broken bone back into place. It may hurt a little."

"A little?" Zuko said through clenched teeth as he tried to sit up.

"No." With a gentle touch, Katara placed her hand on his chest and pushed him back down. "Stay put. This will just take a minute…or two."

"Great."

While Katara worked on positioning the bone back into place at his knee, Zuko tried not to think on the pain. But then what was he supposed to think on? The accident? It had been downright stupid of him to wander the temple in the dark. It was old and decrepit. No wonder he fell through the floor. Of course, if it hadn't been for Toph's constant need to irritate him, this would have never happened. He wouldn't have run off in anger and he wouldn't have been too occupied with his rage to pay attention to his footing. All in all, it had been a lousy night and his morning wasn't shaping up to be any better. He had fallen, broken his leg, and now the only one who could heal him was the bitter waterbender. Things couldn't get any worse.

"We heard yelling. Is everything alright?"

Anyone but her. _Anyone_ but her!

"Yes, Toph. I'm just working on his leg but I need to concentrate," Katara replied without turning from her work.

"Alright." Zuko's gaze met with eyes of green and he scowled at her. "Don't worry, princey, you'll get your revenge," Toph responded with a grin. "Take _good_ care of him, Katara. _Real_ good care of him." With a wink in his direction, the earthbender closed the door behind her.

"I swear…when I get out of here…I'm gonna strangle that girl," Zuko promised through gritted teeth.

Katara countered with a smart remark. "Not if I get there first."

A smile began to form on Zuko's lips at her joke, but it was quickly taken away the second she snapped his bone into place. Zuko slammed his fist down on the bed and tried to stifle his groans. This was like the day he'd received his scar. Although nothing could ever compare to the burn on his face, this came in at a close second. At least this time he had a waterbender by his side, even if she was a bitter one.

After a few more minutes, Katara looked up from her work and turned to the firebender. "There. Your leg is as good as new."

"Good." Zuko pushed himself up from the bed into a sitting position. "Now I can go find that earthbender and teach her a less –" Zuko gripped his side and grimaced.

"Looks like you have more injuries than just your leg. Here. Let me have a look." Katara took hold of Zuko's arm and moved it out of the way. Then she reached for the sash that bound his tunic and unraveled it. Pushing aside the fabric, Katara stared down at several deep bruises running along the right side of his abdomen. "You must have hit the ground on your right because there doesn't seem to be any bruising on your left." With a water-covered hand, Katara ran her fingers along the bruises and concluded, "Nothing seems to be broken. You just took a heavy fall is all."

"Is that all?"

Katara ignored his sarcasm and tried to fade the bruising. She couldn't do much with it, but Zuko's pain did seem to reduce somewhat for his breathing evened out more. "It will take a while to heal fully, but you should be able to move better at least." With her hand still in place on his torso, Katara looked up into his steady eyes. "Is there anything else?"

For a split second, Zuko forgot that the waterbender hated him. Her brilliant sapphire eyes were so captivating that he even lost track of what she'd asked him. What had she asked him? It took him a minute to recall, but once he did, he lifted his arm before her baby blues and said, "Just this."

"Oh!" Katara had forgotten about that. Taking hold of his arm, she gave it a once over inspection. "Nothing seems to be broken. It just looks like you have some bruises." Bending more water from the buckets and into her hands, Katara covered his forearm in the glowing liquid and helped speed up the healing process.

While she worked, Zuko's anger receded along with the pain and all that was left was the waterbender. "Thank you, by the way, for doing this," he voiced to her as the bruising on his arm faded.

"They would have forced me to heal you anyway," Katara replied while her focus remained on his arm.

"So you weren't worried about me then?" Zuko dared to ask.

Katara was quick to answer with a "No."

"Not even a little?"

"Nope. Not at all."

A teasing grin crossed Zuko's lips. "Liar."

Katara's eyes met with Zuko's in an instant. "I'm not –"

"Yes, you are," he interrupted as he narrowed his eyes at her. "I may not be Toph, but I can tell when you're lying and when you're telling the truth. And right now…" Zuko leaned in closer to her and whispered, "You're lying."

Katara mimicked his peering eyes. "Yeah, well, two can play at that game. I can see through your lies just as easily as you can mine."

"Really?" The smile abruptly dropped from Zuko's face and his expression became serious. "Toph was right, you know. I _do_ want to kiss you."

For a split second, Katara believed him and her eyes popped open in shock. But then she caught on to his game and lightly punched him in the shoulder. "Ha. Ha. Very funny."

Zuko followed along with her playful attitude, but behind the smile, his seriousness remained. He hadn't been lying. Toph knew the truth and so did he. He was attracted to the waterbender and there had even been a time when he'd actually fantasized about holding her in his arms. Unfortunately, the little trickster of an earthbender had called him out on it. But even though he had said otherwise on that night, the truth still lay dormant within him. But who would ever believe it?

"Would you like me to heal your, um…well, you have some bruises on your face, too."

Shaking the thoughts from his head, Zuko turned his attention back on his healer and automatically nodded in response. After bending water into her command, Katara scooted closer to Zuko and lifted her hands to his face. While one hand was placed over his scar for support, the other glowed over the skin of his right cheek where several bruises had formed. As his healer worked her magic, the firebender's golden eyes fixed themselves on her face. Katara, however, kept her gaze trained on her glowing hand and her mind focused on the healing process. But it wasn't long before the simple task became harder than it looked. If only the firebender's eyes weren't so distracting, then she could concentrate better.

She was so beautiful. Toph had been right about that. In fact, the annoying lie detector had been right about everything. But what did it matter? He would never admit it. If he did, then all hell would break loose. The Avatar would kill him for even thinking about _his_ girl in that way. Sokka would help. And Katara…she would probably look at him with disgust and then freeze him in a block of ice for all eternity. Either way, the truth was a bad thing. A _very_ bad thing. If only the blind earthbender could see that.

"Done," Katara declared as the water flowed back into a bucket and her hands dropped into her lap. "You still have a few marks here and there, but they should heal in no time. The biggest thing right now is your leg. I think you need to stay put for at least the rest of the day to make sure it's gonna stay in place."

Katara was about ready to rise when Zuko's warm hands covered hers. "Thanks again, Katara." Zuko shook his head at his own coming confession. "You were right about this being my fault. If I hadn't run off like that and if that…little…" Zuko sighed. "Maybe things would have turned out differently."

Before she knew what she was doing, Katara had pulled one her hands out from under his and placed it atop his own. "I shouldn't have said that before. I was wrong. This wasn't your fault at all. It was Toph's. She's the one to blame." Katara's face became riddled with anger and she yanked her hands away from his, displaying her rage through more than just words. "Why can't she just mind her own business and leave us alone! I hate that girl! She's so…so…frustrating! She says we're the liars but really she's the one who's been lying!"

Zuko nodded his head in agreement. Opening his mouth, he was about ready to slander the earthbender right along with her but he was stopped in his tracks by an unexpected revelation. _If you two would just tell the truth for once, then this whole problem you have with one another would go away._ Zuko hated to admit it, but the little trickster was right. She'd been right about everything. All the lies that she'd called them out on had been the truth. He still wished she had been a little more discreet about it, but maybe that was just her way of showing them that she cared. Either way, the blind girl had seen everything and she was right about it all. It was time for the truth.

"Actually…" Katara wrinkled her brow at Zuko's calm voice. "Toph has been right about everything."

"What!? No, she hasn't!" Katara automatically defended herself.

"Then tell me something." Zuko placed his hands over Katara's once more. "Were you lying last night? Is blue really your favorite color or do you like another color more?" Katara opened her mouth to reply but with a serious tone to his deep voice Zuko quickly added, "Be honest."

Katara's mouth closed. What was she supposed to say? The truth was absurd. Blue wasn't her favorite color. Toph had called her out on that one. But telling the truth would have been even worse than lying. Toph loved to manipulate everything Katara said into something totally off base, so she couldn't tell the truth. But Toph wasn't around. It was just Zuko. But could he really be trusted with such information? It was worth a shot. "Toph was right. My favorite color isn't blue." Staring up into Zuko's warm golden eyes, Katara couldn't help but spill the truth. "It's red."

Zuko's eyes widened in shock. "_Red_!? Your favorite color is _red_? Why?"

A sigh escaped the waterbender's lips. "I know it sounds crazy and I don't know why it is. But for some odd reason I guess I've always liked that color. But do you see now why I couldn't tell Toph? If I had told her the truth, she would have assumed that I…that I liked you or some nonsense like that."

"And if I had told her that my favorite color was blue –"

"_Blue_!? Your favorite color is _blue_? Why?" Katara imitated Zuko's surprise.

With a shrug to his shoulders Zuko answered, "I think it's because my mother loved the ocean and would always take me there. It was her favorite place to relax and I guess it became a part of me as well."

Katara shook her head. "This is crazy. I can't believe that Toph was actually right." Dropping her eyes down to her lap, Katara realized for the first time that Zuko's hands lay over hers. Her heart instantly picked up its pace. "Do you think…I mean, is Toph…is she right…about everything?"

Lifting a hand to her chin, Zuko raised her eyes until they met with his. "There's only one way to find out." Zuko's heart raced a mile a minute as he leaned in toward the waterbender. He could see the surprise in her eyes and he knew a slap to the face was sure to be his reward for this treasonous act. But he didn't care. With only a breath between them now, there was no turning back.

"Zuko." Her faint whisper of his name was silenced by the gentle touch of his lips and she closed her eyes in acceptance of the unexpected kiss. The sensation she felt was nothing at all like before, in fact, it was better. It was clear to her in a microsecond that the airbender couldn't hold a candle to a kiss from this firebender. His lips were so warm and gentle, soothing and inviting. His touch overwhelmed her, making her body melt and her heart flutter. She had never felt anything like it and she was sad to see it go. Had the kiss really lasted only a few seconds?

"I told you I wanted to kiss you."

Zuko's soft words cut through the tender moment like a knife and Katara's eyes popped open in a hurry. She couldn't believe he'd done that! Reacting out of instinct, she yanked her hands away from his and slapped him clean on the face. Zuko didn't even act to defend himself. He just received it like he'd known it was coming all along.

After cringing from the impact, the fire prince turned his attention back on the furious waterbender and tried to explain himself. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to show you that Toph has been right about everything. I know I shouldn't have done that. It was wrong and it was stupid and I was –" What in the world!? Zuko couldn't believe his eyes or his lips. She was actually kissing him back!

There had only been one thought in Katara's head as Zuko had pulled apart from her. She wanted more. But she wasn't about to let him off that easily either. So after firmly jamming her hand into the scarred side of his face, she came to a simple conclusion. Kiss him back. So she did. And it was even better than the first time. Once Zuko finally got over his shock, the kiss turned into a prison of fire and passion that would take some time to unlock, not that either of them wanted to find the key.

Wrapping one arm around her waist and putting another at her neck, Zuko pulled Katara closer to him and deepened the kiss. This was amazing. _She_ was amazing! Her mouth had tasted good the first time but this…this was something else. He'd never felt anything like it. He wanted to scream and dance and laugh and cry all at the same time, but how could he when his tongue was busy in battle against hers, a battle that he hoped would rage on forever.

"How's it going in there?"

Zuko immediately relinquished his hold on the waterbender and reached for his robe. Hurriedly he tied it back into place and matted down his unruly hair in the same beat. The minute Katara heard the voice through the door, she leapt to her feet with a muffled yelp and attempted to comb through her hair while smoothing out her wardrobe. It wasn't going to help though for the person on the other end knew exactly what was going on.

"I'm sorry. Did I interrupt something?" the intuitive earthbender asked after opening the door and leaning up against it.

"No!" Zuko and Katara practically shouted. Then Zuko went on to explain, "Katara was just finishing up."

"Yes, I was just finishing up," Katara repeated while continuing to comb through her hair. When Toph didn't answer right away, Katara added, "In fact, I was just leaving."

"Not so fast, sugar queen," Toph said as she shot out her arm to stop the fleeing waterbender. "Something is definitely going on."

Katara was quick in her reply. "No, nothing's going on. Nothing at all. Why would anything be going on? I hate Zuko. Always have and always will."

"And I hate Katara," Zuko instantly agreed with her. "So you see, Toph, there is nothing going on and nothing will _ever_ be going on because there's absolutely nothing that could ever, um…go on?"

Glancing back at the fire prince, Katara gave him a look that said she wanted to bury him alive to which he replied with a sheepish grin and a shrug of the shoulders. Katara rolled her eyes. It was hopeless. Anyone could see that they were lying. Why did she have to kiss him back anyway? She could have lived without another kiss from the firebender. Look, another lie! Oh, that was beside the point. Turning back to the earthbender, Katara decided that the truth was most certainly _not_ the best policy in this situation. "Toph, there is nothing going on between us, you didn't interrupt anything, and that's the end of it."

The young girl narrowed her blind eyes at Katara and asked, "Are you telling me the _truth_?"

Even though Toph couldn't see it, she could feel it. Both the fire prince and his ice queen swallowed hard and then answered in unison, "Yes." The earthbender's grin widened at their shared testimony. This was going to be fun. Taking a deep breath, Toph opened her mouth to speak but then abruptly closed it. She knew they were lying. Anyone could see that. But was now the right time to reveal their lies? To their surprise, and to hers, she decided to let the truth be silenced. Dropping the grin from her face, Toph shrugged her shoulders and said, "Alright. I believe you."

She wished she could have seen the look on their faces. It was sure to be a doozy. But their racing heartbeats were enough to satisfy her wicked desires. Whatever happened between the two of them was going to make for great laughs later in the week. But for now, Toph was going to let them off easy. So with a pleasant smile on her face, she bid the couple farewell and closed the door on her way out. Her ears, however, couldn't help but linger.

"I can't believe she bought that," Katara marveled.

"Uh, I don't think she did."

Toph's infamous grin returned. She didn't need to see to know what had happened. Her plan had been an utter success for their mouths had wound up in an unexpected lip lock. But their next words made Toph sigh in defeat. They were lying to one another again. Would it ever end?

"Katara, I –"

"No, don't even say it. Nothing has changed between us. _Nothing._ Okay?"

Zuko's voice didn't sound too pleased about that. "Yeah, sure." But it wasn't his voice that Toph was fixed on.

Words had come to mean nothing to her once she'd discovered her lie detector abilities. Everything she ever wanted to know was hidden in the vibrations that people gave off. That's where the real stories were buried. And the story here was an easy one to unearth. With a bounce in her step and a plan already forming in her evil little mind, the earthbender trotted off to her room with only one word springing forth from her grinning lips. "Liars."

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_**REVIEWS? YES, PLEASE!!! ^_^**_

_***Be sure to check out this picture called **By The Fire** by **some1ders13** on DA. It goes along perfectly with the moment right before the steamy Zutara kiss. Go see for yourself.***_

_I gotta say this first: obviously, my original plan of getting these stories out one day at a time is not working…in case you didn't figure that out already. LOL. Sorry. I will (or plan to) have at least one story posted a week. That's pretty reasonable I believe. Sometimes I might post more than one. It all depends. But I'm not gonna make any promises. I like to take my time in my writing and I believe that is the best thing for me. It allows me more time to think and to edit. So…that's the plan from now on. Just thought I'd let you all know._

_As for this story – YOU GOTTA LOVE TOPH!!! She and Iroh are like the biggest Zutara supporters ever! They both rock! (no pun intended) I loved messing around with Toph's internal lie detector. It had to be done. I could easily see her using Zuko's and Katara's every word against themselves and each other. Haha. Too funny. The whole color idea was a fun one to come up with as well. The idea that they liked each other's color actually formed in my head in a totally romantic way. Something like this:_

_Z: Did I ever tell you that my favorite color isn't red?  
K: What? Then what is it?  
Z: (puts a hand to her face and stares deeply into her eyes) Blue.  
K: (breathless) Really? Why's that?  
Z: (smiles as his thumb caresses her cheek) No reason._

_And then, of course, Katara tells him somehow that she likes red and then they share this totally sexy kiss under the moonlight and all is well in the Zutara world. =D Yup, that sounds so romantic. But as I was thinking up ideas for LIARS, the whole color thing hit me in a new way and I decided to approach it through Toph. Being the wicked trickster that she is, I knew it would be fun. Gotta hate that she interrupted them though. Hehe. But she had to. Oh well. Toph will just have to get them together some other way and we all know that she can. ^_^_

_Yup. I think that's it. MYTH is next. The idea for M was the first one to ever form in my head when I thought up this series, so it will be nice to finally get it all down on paper. Can't wait! I'll get started…tomorrow. =D_

_AVidZktjo_


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